Rajasthan hosts fifth Khelo India University Games

Rajasthan is ready to host the fifth Khelo India University Games (KIUG) from November 24 to December 5, where young athletes from across India will battle for medals in 23 sports, including first-time events like beach volleyball, canoeing and kayaking, cycling, and kho-kho. The 12-day Games will span seven cities Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Kota, and Bharatpur and are expected to attract over 5,000 student-athletes.

The University Games aim to bridge the gap between campus-level competition and national and international sporting success. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya highlighted the significance of KIUG, saying, “Universities play a vital role in shaping champions, and the University Games provide young athletes a platform to showcase their talent at a national level.”

Mandaviya added, “The Rajasthan edition will highlight India’s growing sporting landscape and serve as a stepping stone for many who aspire to represent the nation globally. Under the vision of the Prime Minister, Khelo India has created a strong ecosystem encouraging participation, talent development, and excellence. These Games will inspire students to pursue sports alongside academics and promote the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat through healthy competition and camaraderie.”

Traditional medal sports such as athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, fencing, football, hockey, judo, kabaddi, mallakhamb, rugby, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, and yogasana will be contested, alongside the newly added cycling, beach volleyball, and canoeing & kayaking events. Kho-kho will be featured as a demonstration sport.

In the previous edition held in Northeast India, Chandigarh University emerged champions, followed by Lovely Professional University and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, in second and third places.

With the KIUG platform continuing to expand, this Rajasthan edition promises to be a major showcase of India’s young sporting talent, giving thousands of student-athletes the chance to shine and potentially move onto the global stage.