Sailing Makes KIYG Debut As Telangana Prepares To Host 2026 Games

The eighth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), scheduled to begin in Telangana on December 11, will feature 27 competitive sports and sailing as a demonstration event, Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced on Monday.

The 12-day sporting event is expected to bring together nearly 6,000 athletes and 1,800 support staff. Hyderabad will host 22 sports at various venues, including the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium complex in Basheerbagh and the Gachibowli sports complex.

The remaining competitions will be conducted across five other districts. Khammam will host archery, Hanumakonda athletics, Karimnagar judo, Nizamabad table tennis and Mahbubnagar kabaddi.

Softball will make its debut as a competitive sport, while sailing has been included in the KIYG programme for the first time as a demonstration event. Rowing has replaced rugby in the competitive sports list, following Telangana's decision to select rowing over rugby, which was chosen by Bihar as the host state for the previous edition.

Mandaviya said the inclusion of sailing reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of expanding India's sporting ecosystem to enable the country to participate in a greater number of disciplines at the Olympics. He also highlighted the need to promote sports that utilise natural resources such as seas and mountains.

The previous edition of the Khelo India Youth Games was held in Bihar in May 2025. Maharashtra retained its title by topping the medals tally with 58 gold, 47 silver and 53 bronze medals. It was the state's fifth KIYG title and third consecutive victory. Haryana finished second with 39 gold medals, followed by Rajasthan with 24.

The Bihar edition also witnessed 26 records, including eight set by girls, five of which were national youth records in weightlifting.

The 27 competitive disciplines in the Telangana edition include athletics, archery, badminton, basketball, boxing, cycling, fencing, football, gymnastics, hockey, judo, kabaddi, rowing, shooting, swimming, softball, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling and other traditional and indigenous sports.