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The inaugural edition of the Kho Kho World Cup commenced on Monday with a grand ceremony in the presence of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. The tournament, hosted in New Delhi, will run until January 19 and marks a historic milestone for the traditional Indian sport.
The opening match saw India take on Nepal in the men’s category, securing a victorious start. Women's matches are set to begin on Tuesday, with England facing Australia in the first game.
During the event, Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) President Sudhanshu Mittal expressed his joy and vision for the sport's global recognition. "When dreams come true, words don't come out much. It's a big day for us... people didn't believe that Kho Kho could become an international-level sport. But tonight proved that Kho Kho will spread all over the world... We will take this sport (Kho Kho) to the 2032 Olympics... In the 2032 Olympics, Kho Kho will definitely be a part of it," Mittal told ANI, becoming emotional as he reflected on the sport's journey.
Union Minister of State Raksha Khadse extended her congratulations to Mittal for elevating the indigenous game to an international platform. She highlighted the significance of hosting the maiden Kho Kho World Cup in India and expressed optimism about the sport's future.
"I want to congratulate Sudhanshu Mittal ji for taking India's indigenous game Kho Kho to the international level. It's a proud moment for all of us that the first Kho Kho World Cup is taking place in India. Today you can see, that the Kho Kho World Cup 2025 was inaugurated in the presence of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Cabinet Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. I hope India's traditional sport will reach many more countries... I want to send best wishes to all the teams participating in the tournament...," Khadse told reporters.