The Sports Ministry has approved the inclusion of four indigenous games to be a part of the Khelo India Youth Games 2021, scheduled to take place in Haryana. The games include Gatka, Kalaripayattu, Thang-Ta, and Mallakhamba.
The four selected games represent different parts of the country. Gatka originates from Punjab and this traditional fighting style of the Nihang Sikh Warriors is used both as self-defense as well as a sport. After the fifth guru, Guru Arjan Dev, was killed by the Mughals, Guru Hargobind, his son, propagated the idea of learning Gatka to fight oppression. Later, in the 17th century, Guru Gobind Singh, known as the master of weaponry, developed it further.
Kalaripayattu has its origin from Kerala and has practitioners all over the world, which include Bollywood actor Vidyut Jammwal. Mallakhamba has been well-known across India and Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have been the hotspots of this sport. Thang-Ta, a Manipur martial art has passed into oblivion in recent decades, but the sport will get national recognition again with the help of the Khelo India Youth Games 2021.
“We are glad to know that the Sports Ministry has included Indian ancient martial art Gatka in the Khelo India Youth Games. We are sure that this effort of Khelo India will certainly help to promote and revive a forgotten Indian traditional martial art having a historical significance. In addition, this step will give a boost to the efforts of the National Gatka Association of India in furtherance of creating awareness in the country as well as overseas,” said Harjeet Singh Grewal, President, National Gatka Association of India.
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju said, “India has a rich heritage of indigenous sports, and it is a priority for the Sports Ministry to preserve, promote, and popularise these games. There is no better platform than the Khelo India Games where athletes of these games can compete. The games have huge popularity and are telecast across the country by Star Sports, so I am confident that in the 2021 Khelo India Youth Games these four disciplines, along with Yogasana, will get their much-deserved attention among sports enthusiasts and youth of the country.”
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