Khelo India University Games: A Comprehensive Overview

The Khelo India University Games (KIUG) began in 2020 with the inaugural edition held from February 22 to March 1, 2020, in Odisha, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Jawaharlal Nehru (JNL) Indoor Stadium in Cuttack. Introduced after the success of the Khelo India Youth Games, KIUG aims to provide a platform for university athletes aged 18–25 to gain exposure to multi-disciplinary events and prepare for international competitions. The games are held annually, typically in February or May, though the 2021 edition was postponed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Countries Where the Khelo India University Games Are Held

The Khelo India University Games are exclusively held in India, as a domestic competition for university athletes from Indian states and union territories. Since 2020, four states have hosted the games across multiple venues:

Host States and Venues

Key Notes:

• Odisha’s 2020 edition was the first, hosted primarily by KIIT with additional venues in Cuttack.
• Karnataka’s 2022 edition saw over 5,000 athletes from 170+ universities, making it the largest KIUG to date.
• Future editions are planned, with potential hosts like Punjab or Tamil Nadu for 2026 (not yet confirmed).

Which Games (Sports) Are Included?

The Khelo India University Games feature a range of Olympic sports, indigenous Indian sports, and martial arts, tailored for university athletes. The 2025 Rajasthan edition included 23 sports with an estimated 250+ gold medals:

Sports in 2025 Khelo India University Games

1. Archery
2. Athletics
3. Badminton
4. Basketball
5. Boxing
6. Fencing
7. Football
8. Hockey (Field Hockey)
9. Judo
10. Kabaddi
11. Rugby
12. Shooting
13. Swimming
14. Table Tennis
15. Tennis
16. Volleyball
17. Weightlifting
18. Wrestling
19. Taekwondo
20. Karate
21. Mallakhamb
22. Yogasana
23. Kalaripayattu

Key Notes:

• Indigenous sports like kabaddi, mallakhamb, yogasana, and kalaripayattu were included to promote India’s cultural heritage.
• Fencing and rugby were introduced in 2020, a first for the Khelo India program.
• Karate and yogasana were added in later editions (2023–2025) to diversify combat and traditional sports.
• Events are held at university campuses and specialized venues (e.g., shooting ranges, swimming complexes).

Which Events Occurred in the Past but Are Not Now?

• Discontinued Events:
  • Kho-Kho (2020–2022): Included in early editions but dropped in 2023 to streamline events and focus on Olympic-aligned sports.
  • Gatka (2022): Briefly included as a demonstration sport but not continued due to limited university participation.
  • Thang-Ta (2022): Included as a demonstration martial art but discontinued due to logistical constraints.
• Current Additions:
  • Karate (2023–present): Added to expand combat sports options.
  • Yogasana (2023–present): Introduced to promote India’s traditional yoga practice.
  • Kalaripayattu (2024–present): A Keralite martial art, added for cultural representation.
  • Mallakhamb (2022–present): A traditional Indian gymnastic sport, included to showcase heritage.

Key Notes:

• Discontinued sports were often dropped due to limited participation or to prioritize Olympic-relevant disciplines.
• Indigenous sports were added to align with the Khelo India program’s focus on cultural diversity.

Till Now, India’s Position

As a domestic event, India is the sole participating nation, with universities competing for the overall championship. Panjab University, Chandigarh, and Chandigarh University have been dominant, with Jain University (Karnataka) and Lovely Professional University (Punjab) also excelling. Below is the medal tally for each edition:

Khelo India University Games Medal Tally

Key Notes:

• Panjab University topped in 2020 and 2023, excelling in athletics and swimming.
• Chandigarh University led in 2024 and 2025, driven by strong performances in combat sports and team events.
• Host universities often perform well (e.g., Jain University in 2022, KIIT in 2020), benefiting from larger contingents.
• Notable athletes include Dutee Chand (KIIT, 2020: 2 gold medals in 100m and 200m) and Siddhant Sejwal (Panjab University, 2020: 5 gold medals).

Members (Participating Universities) with Website Links

The Khelo India University Games involve over 200 universities (176 in 2020, 190+ in 2025), coordinated by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and SAI. Below is a list of key participating universities from past editions with their official websites (where available):

• Acharya Nagarjuna University (Andhra Pradesh): anu.ac.in
• Andhra University (Andhra Pradesh): andhrauniversity.edu.in
• Bangalore University (Karnataka): bangaloreuniversity.ac.in
• Barkatullah University (Madhya Pradesh): bubhopal.ac.in
• Berhampur University (Odisha): buodisha.edu.in
• Chaudhary Bansi Lal University (Haryana): cblu.ac.in
• Chaudhary Charan Singh University (Uttar Pradesh): ccsuniversity.ac.in
• Christ University (Karnataka): christuniversity.in
• Cluster University of Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir): clujammu.in
• Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University (Maharashtra): bamu.ac.in
• Gujarat University (Gujarat): gujaratuniversity.ac.in
• Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology (Haryana): gjust.ac.in
• Guru Nanak Dev University (Punjab): gndu.ac.in
• Hemchand Yadav Vishwavidyalaya (Chhattisgarh): durguniversity.ac.in
• Himachal Pradesh University (Himachal Pradesh): hpuniv.ac.in
• Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science (Tamil Nadu): hindustanuniv.ac.in
• Jadavpur University (West Bengal): jaduniv.edu.in
• Jain University (Karnataka): jainuniversity.ac.in
• Jamia Millia Islamia (Delhi): jmi.ac.in
• Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (Odisha): kiit.ac.in
• Kannur University (Kerala): kannuruniversity.ac.in
• Kaviyitri Bahinabai Chaudhari North Maharashtra University (Maharashtra): nmu.ac.in
• Kolhan University (Jharkhand): kolhanuniversity.ac.in
• Krishna University (Andhra Pradesh): kru.ac.in
• Kurukshetra University (Haryana): kuk.ac.in
• Lovely Professional University (Punjab): lpu.in
• Maharaja Ganga Singh University (Rajasthan): mgsubikaner.ac.in
• Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (Maharashtra): muhs.ac.in
• Maharshi Dayanand University (Haryana): mdu.ac.in
• Mahatma Gandhi University (Kerala): mgu.ac.in
• Mangalore University (Karnataka): mangaloreuniversity.ac.in
• Manipur University (Manipur): manipuruniv.ac.in
• Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (Tamil Nadu): msuniv.ac.in
• Panjab University (Punjab): puchd.ac.in
• Periyar University (Tamil Nadu): periyaruniversity.ac.in
• Punjabi University (Punjab): punjabiuniversity.ac.in
• Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (Karnataka): rguhs.ac.in
• Ranchi University (Jharkhand): ranchiuniversity.ac.in
• Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya (Madhya Pradesh): rdunijbpin.org
• Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (Maharashtra): nagpuruniversity.ac.in
• Sant Baba Bhag Singh University (Punjab): sbbsuniversity.ac.in
• Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University (Maharashtra): sgbau.ac.in
• Sardar Patel University (Gujarat): spuvvn.edu
• Savitribai Phule Pune University (Maharashtra): unipune.ac.in
• Shivaji University (Maharashtra): unishivaji.ac.in
• SRM Institute of Science and Technology (Tamil Nadu): srmist.edu.in
• University of Calicut (Kerala): uoc.ac.in
• University of Delhi (Delhi): du.ac.in
• University of Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir): jammuuniversity.ac.in
• University of Kerala (Kerala): keralauniversity.ac.in
• University of Madras (Tamil Nadu): unom.ac.in
• University of Mumbai (Maharashtra): mu.ac.in
• University of Mysore (Karnataka): uni-mysore.ac.in
• University of Rajasthan (Rajasthan): uniraj.ac.in
• Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University (Uttar Pradesh): vbspu.ac.in
• Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (Gujarat): vnsgu.ac.in
• Visvesvaraya Technological University (Karnataka): vtu.ac.in
• Chandigarh University (Punjab): cuchd.in

Notes:

• Links are sourced from university websites and the Khelo India portal (kheloindia.gov.in) as of October 24, 2025.
• The list includes key universities from past editions; over 200 universities participate, but not all have dedicated sports pages.
• The Association of Indian Universities (aiu.ac.in) coordinates university participation.

All Games in Khelo India University Games: Regulatory Bodies and Official Links (National/International)

Each sport is governed by a national sports federation under the SAI, AIU, and IOA, affiliated with international federations for Olympic-aligned sports. Below is a list of the 23 sports from the 2025 Khelo India University Games, with their regulatory bodies and links (national: India; international).

Notes:

• Links are current as of October 24, 2025, sourced from SAI (kheloindia.gov.in), IOA (olympic.ind.in), AIU (aiu.ac.in), and international federation websites.
• Indigenous sports (kabaddi, mallakhamb, yogasana, kalaripayattu) have dedicated Indian federations, reflecting cultural focus.
• The Khelo India University Games are overseen by the Sports Authority of India (kheloindia.gov.in) in collaboration with the AIU, IOA, and national sports federations.