35TH SUB-JUNIOR NATIONAL Kho Kho Championship (Boys and Girls) for the 2025–26 season was inaugurated at Keshav Park, Kurukshetra, on Saturday by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister assured the Haryana Sports Kho Kho Association (HSKKA) of full support from the state government for the establishment of a state-level Residential Kho Kho Academy and the launch of an under-16 state Kho Kho League. He also announced a grant of Rs 21 lakh to HSKKA for organising the ongoing championship.
The national tournament has drawn 70 teams, 35 boys’ teams and 35 girls’ teams, representing 27 states, five Union Territories and three associate member associations. The championship is being organised by HSKKA under the aegis of the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI).
Around 1,100 players are competing in the event, supported by nearly 300 coaches and technical officials. Matches are being conducted across five playfields, including three mat courts. The competition follows a league-cum-knockout format, with 120 matches scheduled over the first three days.
The previous edition, the 34th Sub-Junior National Kho Kho Championship, was held in Simdega, Jharkhand, from 28 September to 2 October 2024, where Maharashtra clinched the titles in both the boys’ and girls’ categories.
Saini said, “After a long interval of over 13 years, Haryana has got the opportunity to host such a reputed national level championship in Kho Kho. I am happy to see that teams from all across the length and breadth of India have come and the enthusiasm for the traditional game of Kho Kho is rising throughout the country. Kho Kho is not just a game, it is the fragrance of the Indian soil. It is our collective responsibility to promote our traditional games and establish these games globally. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji has a great vision of India preparing for the 2036 Olympics and establishing our nation as a global power in sports. Programmes like Khelo India and Fit India are the outcome of this vision.”
KKFI president Sudhanshu Mittal said, “I am confident that Kho Kho will be included in the Commonwealth Games (2030) at Ahmedabad and in Asian Games 2030. Also, as a demo sport in the Olympics (2032).”
