Kho Kho World Cup 2025 Kicks Off in Delhi

Kho-Kho World Cup 2025: The Kho Kho World Cup is set to begin today, Monday, 13 January, at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. Teams from 23 countries will compete in the World Cup, with 20 teams participating in the men’s category and 19 in the women’s.

Kho-Kho World Cup 2025: Most children would have played Kho-Kho in their neighbourhood or school during childhood. However, few would have imagined that this game could become their career. The first Kho-Kho World Cup begins on Monday, 13 January, at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. Teams from 23 countries will compete in this World Cup. 20 teams in the men’s category and 19 in the women’s category will compete for the title, with the final match scheduled for 19 January.

Origins of the Game

Kho-Kho is an ancient game from the Asian continent. In India, it is the second most popular village game after Kabaddi. It is believed to have originated during the time of the Mahabharata, although documented evidence suggests it has been played since the 4th century BC. In India, the game originated in Maharashtra.

Rules Formalised in 1914

The rules and structure of Kho-Kho were officially formalised in 1914 by the Deccan Gymkhana Club in Pune. The first Kho-Kho rule book was written by Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Kho-Kho was included as a demonstration sport in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Team Structure

– 15 players are selected for the team, 12 take the field.

– Each team fields 12 players; 9 play actively, and 3 are substitutes.

– Each team gets two innings of 7 minutes each. One inning involves defence, and the other involves attack.

The ‘Vazir’ – A Key Player

A new position, called ‘Vazir’ (Minister), has been introduced in the Kho-Kho World Cup. Similar to chess, the ‘Vazir’ can move in any direction. Pratik Waikar, captain of the Indian men’s team, will play the ‘Vazir’ role.

Aiming for Asian and Olympic Inclusion

Sudhanshu Mittal, President of the Indian Kho-Kho Federation, stated that 55 countries currently play the game. This number is expected to reach 90 by the end of next year. The goal is to include Kho-Kho in the Asian Games by 2030 and the Olympic Games by 2032.

Big Names Associated with the Event

Two-time Olympic medalist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and Bollywood actor Salman Khan are also associated with this event. Salman Khan is the brand ambassador for the Kho-Kho World Cup.