MP’s ‘Olympics’ for youth: Khelo MP Games to start Jan 10

Bhopal: The Khelo MP Youth Games–2025, Madhya Pradesh's very own "Olympics," will be held from Jan 10 to 31, 2026, across all 313 development blocks, culminating in state-level finals across the state's eight divisions. For the first time, traditional Indian games such as pittu and tug-of-war will be featured alongside mainstream sports like cricket. For the first time, the Sports Department, in collaboration with all recognised sports associations, will jointly organise the event, ensuring integrated team selection across 27 disciplines and giving talented young players greater opportunities for state-level representation.Sports minister Vishwas Sarang said that he competitions will unfold in multiple phases — block-level contests from Jan 10–15, district-level events from Jan 16–20, divisional matches from Jan 21–25, and state-level finals from January 28–31. "Coordination officers have been appointed to ensure effective collaboration with sports associations," he said. National sports federation representatives and enthusiasts will be invited to both the inaugural and closing ceremonies. A total of 27 sports disciplines will be included, with events distributed across regions according to their traditions and popularity. The eight divisions hosting different sports are Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, Rewa, Sagar, Ujjain, and Shahdol. Bhopal will host athletics, fencing, men's cricket, kayaking-canoeing, rowing, swimming, shooting, men's hockey, and boxing; Indore will organise basketball, weightlifting, table tennis, and tennis; Gwalior will feature women's cricket; and Ujjain will conduct badminton, Pittu, and women's hockey. Jabalpur will host mallakhamb, yoga, kabaddi, tug-of-war, and wrestling, while Rewa will stage kho-kho and archery. Narmadapuram will host football and judo, and Sagar will organise taekwondo and chess. Volleyball will be played across multiple venues.While most disciplines will follow three competitive stages—block, district, and state—sports such as basketball, football, kabaddi, volleyball, cricket, pittu, and tug-of-war will involve an additional divisional phase. Taekwondo, fencing, rowing, kayaking-canoeing, shooting, and archery will be contested exclusively at the state level.

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