Khelo India Youth Games: A Comprehensive Overview

The Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) began in 2018 as the Khelo India School Games in New Delhi, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 31, 2018, at the Indira Gandhi Arena, rooted in the guru-shishya tradition. Renamed Khelo India Youth Games in 2019 after the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) joined, it expanded to include under-21 college students alongside under-17 school students. The games are held annually in January or February, with the goal of identifying grassroots talent and providing scholarships of ₹5 lakh annually for 8 years to the top 1,000 athletes to prepare them for international competitions.

Countries Where the Khelo India Youth Games Are Held

The Khelo India Youth Games are exclusively held in India, as a domestic competition for athletes from Indian states and union territories. Since 2018, six states have hosted the games across multiple cities:

Host States and Cities

Note: The 2021 edition was postponed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Notes:

• Delhi hosted the inaugural edition, with Maharashtra hosting twice (2019, as part of the Khelo India Youth Games, and 2020 for the Khelo India University Games, a separate event).
• Each edition uses multiple venues to accommodate diverse sports, with major stadiums like Indira Gandhi Arena and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi.
• Future editions are planned, with potential hosts including Uttar Pradesh or Karnataka for 2026 (not yet confirmed).

Which Games (Sports) Are Included?

The Khelo India Youth Games feature a mix of Olympic sports, indigenous Indian sports, and martial arts, tailored for under-17 and under-21 athletes. The 2025 Bihar edition included 27 sports with 285 gold medals across various events:

Sports in 2025 Khelo India Youth Games

1. Aquatics (Swimming, Diving)
2. Archery
3. Athletics
4. Badminton
5. Basketball
6. Boxing
7. Cricket
8. Cycling
9. Fencing
10. Football
11. Gymnastics
12. Hockey
13. Judo
14. Kabaddi
15. Kho-Kho
16. Shooting
17. Squash
18. Table Tennis
19. Taekwondo
20. Tennis
21. Volleyball
22. Weightlifting
23. Wrestling
24. Gatka
25. Kalaripayattu
26. Mallakhamb
27. Thang-Ta

Key Notes:

• Indigenous sports like kabaddi, kho-kho, mallakhamb, gatka, kalaripayattu, and thang-ta were included to promote India’s cultural heritage, with the latter four added in 2020.
• Sports like cricket and squash were introduced to align with global trends and potential Olympic inclusion.
• Events are held at specialized venues (e.g., swimming at complexes like Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, shooting at ranges like Dr. Karni Singh).

Which Events Occurred in the Past but Are Not Now?

• Discontinued Events:
  • Weightlifting (Under-21 Category) (2018–2020): Removed in some editions due to doping concerns and focus on younger athletes; reintroduced in select categories.
  • Volleyball (Under-21 Category) (2018–2019): Dropped in some editions to streamline events but reinstated in 2023.
  • Kho-Kho (Under-21 Category) (2018): Temporarily excluded in 2019 due to scheduling constraints but reinstated in 2020.
• Current Additions:
  • Gatka (2020–present): A Sikh martial art, added to promote regional sports.
  • Kalaripayattu (2020–present): A Keralite martial art, included for cultural representation.
  • Thang-Ta (2020–present): A Manipuri martial art, added to diversify combat sports.
  • Mallakhamb (2020–present): A traditional Indian gymnastic sport, included to showcase heritage.
  • Squash (2023–present): Added to align with global sports trends and potential Olympic inclusion.
  • Cricket (2018, reintroduced 2024–present): Reintroduced to leverage India’s cricket popularity.

Key Notes:

• Discontinued events were often dropped due to logistical issues, doping concerns, or to prioritize indigenous sports.
• The addition of martial arts in 2020 reflects a focus on cultural diversity and grassroots talent in traditional disciplines.

Till Now, India’s Position

As a domestic event, India is the sole participating nation, with states and union territories competing for the overall championship. Maharashtra and Haryana have dominated, with Maharashtra winning four of seven editions (2019, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025). Below is the medal tally for each edition:

Khelo India Youth Games Medal Tally

Note: The 2021 edition was held in 2022 due to COVID-19.

Key Notes:

• Maharashtra has topped the medal tally in four editions (2019, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025), driven by strong sports infrastructure and large contingents.
• Haryana won in 2018 and 2021, excelling in combat sports like boxing and wrestling.
• Host states often perform well (e.g., Haryana in 2021, Tamil Nadu 2nd in 2024), due to larger delegations and home advantage.
• Medal winners are eligible for government jobs, enhancing the games’ appeal.

Members (Participating States/Union Territories) with Website Links

The Khelo India Youth Games involve 37 states and union territories, coordinated by their respective state sports associations or Olympic associations under the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and IOA. Below is a list with links to state Olympic associations or sports departments (where available):

• Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Andaman and Nicobar Sports Department
• Andhra Pradesh: Andhra Pradesh Olympic Association
• Arunachal Pradesh: Arunachal Olympic Association
• Assam: Assam Olympic Association
• Bihar: Bihar Olympic Association
• Chandigarh: Chandigarh Olympic Association
• Chhattisgarh: Chhattisgarh Olympic Association
• Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu: DNH & DD Sports Department
• Delhi: Delhi Olympic Association
• Goa: Goa Olympic Association
• Gujarat: Gujarat State Olympic Association
• Haryana: Haryana Olympic Association
• Himachal Pradesh: Himachal Pradesh Olympic Association
• Jammu and Kashmir: J&K Sports Council
• Jharkhand: Jharkhand Olympic Association
• Karnataka: Karnataka Olympic Association
• Kerala: Kerala Olympic Association
• Ladakh: Ladakh Sports Department
• Lakshadweep: Lakshadweep Sports Department
• Madhya Pradesh: Madhya Pradesh Olympic Association
• Maharashtra: Maharashtra Olympic Association
• Manipur: Manipur Olympic Association
• Meghalaya: Meghalaya Olympic Association
• Mizoram: Mizoram Olympic Association
• Nagaland: Nagaland Olympic Association
• Odisha: Odisha Olympic Association
• Puducherry: Puducherry Olympic Association
• Punjab: Punjab Olympic Association
• Rajasthan: Rajasthan Olympic Association
• Sikkim: Sikkim Olympic Association
• Tamil Nadu: Tamil Nadu Olympic Association
• Telangana: Telangana Olympic Association
• Tripura: Tripura Olympic Association
• Uttar Pradesh: Uttar Pradesh Olympic Association
• Uttarakhand: Uttarakhand Olympic Association
• West Bengal: West Bengal Olympic Association
• Services Sports Control Board: Services Sports Control Board

Notes:

• Links are sourced from the IOA website (olympic.ind.in) or state government sports departments as of October 24, 2025.
• Some states/union territories (e.g., Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep) lack dedicated Olympic association websites; links redirect to state sports departments or IOA’s directory.
• Services Sports Control Board participates as a unique entity, representing armed forces athletes.

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

Each sport is governed by a national sports federation under the SAI and IOA, affiliated with international federations for Olympic-aligned sports. Below is a list of the 27 sports from the 2025 Khelo India Youth 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), and international federation websites.
• For sports like gymnastics and thang-ta, where dedicated Indian federation websites are unavailable, the Sports Authority of India (sportsauthorityofindia.nic.in) is referenced.
• Indigenous sports (kabaddi, kho-kho, gatka, kalaripayattu, mallakhamb, thang-ta) have dedicated Indian federations, reflecting cultural focus.
• The Khelo India Youth Games are overseen by the Sports Authority of India (kheloindia.gov.in) in collaboration with the IOA and national sports federations.