When Khelo India was launched in 2018 in Delhi, it was more as a talent spotting event among the younger generation of the country. Three years later, Khelo India has not only added different age categories as well as sports disciplines, but also given a boost to sports awareness in the country.
It’s a tribute to the perseverance of the government of the day to push ahead with its vision of cultivating a sporting culture nation-wide.
And to top it all, the talent it has thrown up has already gone on to claim laurels at the international level, making the entire effort behind organizing the Khelo India Youth Games and the Khelo India University Games worth the while.
The KIYG has already seen three editions being staged in two different age categories with almost 20 disciplines being showcased. The KIUG was launched only in February 2020 with ginger steps towards giving the sports-persons under the age of 25 another shot at higher glory.
Being held under the direct supervision of Sports Authority of India, the implementation arm of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Khelo India is here to stay. Quite unlike the National Games, which has a history dating back to 1924 when they were heralded as the Indian Olympics. And most of it has to do with the uncertainty that engulfs each edition of the National Games.
Originally planned to be held every two years, the last decade and a half have seen only three games actually being held … Assam (2007), Jharkhand (2011) and Kerala (2015). That each of them was exactly in the year before the Olympic Games was no coincidence at all, almost setting the stage for the global competition within the country.
But now there’s no confirmation if Goa intends to go ahead with the 34th edition of the National Games. And if yes, when? All this while the next two host states - Telangana and Uttarakhand - continue to await their turn in that order.
The National Games are the responsibility of the Indian Olympic Association, which is itself struggling to keep its flock intact. So there seems to be hardly any enthusiasm about the National Games.
Khelo India, on the other hand, has already declared that the 2021 KIYG would be held in Panchkula, Haryana, after the Tokyo Olympics. The message is quite clear that the focus would not need to shift to youth just before a mega world event but the show must go on.
Given the present scenario where MYAS, IOA and sports federations seem to be on a collision course ever so often, there seems to be little chance of reviving interest in the National Games. It may be a better option for Khelo India to fill the slot in the national sports calendar.
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