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The 35th Sub-Junior National Kho Kho Championship (Boys & girls) 2025-26 was inaugurated here at Keshav Park in Kurukshetra on Saturday by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
CM Saini assured the Haryana Sports Kho Kho Association of all support from state govt. in establishing the state-level Residential Kho Kho Academy & a state-level under-16 Kho Kho League, as per a press release from the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI). "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," said Nayab. "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," said CM. "I assure President of Haryana Sports Kho Kho Association (HSKKA) Jawahar Singh Yadav of all support from the state government in establishing a state-level residential Kho Kho academy and an under-16 Kho Kho league in Haryana," added Saini. He also promised Rs 21 Lakhs to HSKKA for organising the ongoing championship. "I am confident that Kho Kho will be included in the Commonwealth Games (2030) at Ahmedabad and in the Asian Games 2030. Also, as a demo sport in the Olympics (2032)", said Sudhanshu Mittal, President, Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI). Rajya Sabha MP Subhash Barala, Haryana Cabinet Minister Krishan Lal Panwar, and state BJP President Mohan Lal Badoli also graced the occasion. Also present were KKFI General Secretary Upkar Singh Virk, Dr MS Tyagi, Chairman, Administration & Organisation, KKFI, Mahender Kamboj, General Secretary, Haryana Sports Kho Kho Association, Rajkumar Saini, President, Kurukshetra Kho Kho Association, and other officials. This prestigious national event features 70 teams, including 35 boys' and 35 girls' teams, representing 27 states, 5 union territories, and 3 associate member associations. The Championship is organised by Haryana Sports Kho Kho Association (HSKKA) under the aegis of Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI). Around 1,100 players, supported by 300 coaches and technical officials, are taking part in the championship. The event is being conducted on 5 playfields, including 3 mat fields, and follows a league-cum-knockout format with 120 matches scheduled over the first three days. The first day featured around 40 matches across both boys and girls categories. Pre-quarter finals and quarter finals are on 03rd February, while the Championship would conclude on February 4 with semi-finals and finals on the same day. (ANI)
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