Boost for traditional sports, Mallakhamba in Khelo India

For the first time, Mallakhamba (a traditional gymnastic sport) and Yoga will be included in the Khelo India University Games, which will be organised in Karnataka from April 24 to May 3.
School children performing Mallakhamba in Belagavi | ASHISHKRISHNA H P
School children performing Mallakhamba in Belagavi | ASHISHKRISHNA H P

BENGALURU : For the first time, Mallakhamba (a traditional gymnastic sport) and Yoga will be included in the Khelo India University Games, which will be organised in Karnataka from April 24 to May 3. The inter-university extravaganza is expected to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The office of Youth Empowerment and Sports Minister K C Narayana Gowda has been intimated about this.

Around 8,000 participants from across the country will take part in the event, which is almost double compared to the games held in Odisha in 2020. The logo for this year’s event will be launched by Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur in Bengaluru on March 27.

This time, the number of games has been increased from 17 to 23, including Mallakambha and Yoga. The event was supposed to be held in Karnataka in 2021, but was postponed due to the pandemic. In Mallakhamba, participants perform aerial yoga postures and wrestling grips on a vertical wooden pole.

With its inclusion in Khelo India, this dying sport is expected to get its due national recognition. Khelo India was introduced to revive the sports culture in India at the grassroots. The event is expected to boost practitioners of indigenous sports like Mallakhamba.

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