DEHRADUN: There is a rush amongst several such disciplines to jump on to the bandwagon as India keenly prepares to bid for the 2036 Olympics.
Be it mallakhamb, a competition highlighting flexibility, kalaripayattu, the martial arts form native to Kerala, or other indigenous events such as kho kho or yogasana—the age-old practice of yoga turned into a competitive sport—space is being made for them in the landscape of Indian and global sports.
From their low-key existence in various regions, such sports are increasingly raising the bar. The first Kho Kho World Cup was recently held in New Delhi with fanfare as 23 countries participated. The organisers were quick to announce that they are eyeing a spot for kho kho in India's roster for the 2036 Olympics. Similar pitches have been made for yogasana and mallakhamb. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has included yogasana as a demonstration sport in the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Mallakhamb—a form of aerial yoga or gymnastics—recently opened a centre in the Netherlands in its efforts to globalise the sport. In the 2036 Games pitch, kabaddi will be right up there, having established itself at the Asian level.
After mallakhamb and yogasana were included as medal sports in the 2022 Gujarat National Games, there was high demand from other regional sports to get national recognition. So much so that the 2023 Goa National Games hosted competitions in a record 43 events and included an array of games like kalaripayattu, sqay martial arts and local sports like gatka and lagori as demonstration events, with a promise of their possibly being elevated to medal sports in future editions.
This time, however, IOA has brought down the number of sports to 36 at the Uttarakhand Games, cutting down many disciplines. Kalaripayattu too has been downgraded from a competitive sport to demonstration event—a move that saw its national body even taking a legal route.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة January 28, 2025 من Hindustan Times Thane.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة January 28, 2025 من Hindustan Times Thane.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Skipper Ankit stands tall for Haryana with ton vs Mumbai
Skipper Ankit Kumar led from the front with a fantastic century as Haryana enjoyed the upper hand against defending champions Mumbai, reaching 263/5 at stumps on the second day of their Ranji Trophy quarter-final here.
Teen dies, driver injured in Coastal Road car accident
A 19-year-old woman lost her life, while her 22-year-old friend sustained severe injuries, after their car crashed into a divider on the Coastal Road near Haji Ali around 8 pm on Saturday.
UP Warriorz captaincy chance to groom myself for India role
For India's ace all-rounder Deepti Sharma, the third season of the Women's Premier League is a big opportunity to train herself as a contender for future India captaincy, especially after being named skipper of UP Warriorz on Sunday.
Anti-erosion bund at Colaba gets HC nod
THE COURT CAN'T SUBSTITUTE ITS OPINION IN PLACE OF OPINION BY STATUTORY BODIES
Gangster Accused of Violent Assaults, Extortion, Arrested
The Thane (rural) police have arrested notorious gangster Sujit Patil, alias Tatya, from Igatpuri, Nashik.
Israeli Forces Killed 2 Women in West Bank Raid: Ministry
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hailed US President Donald Trump's widely criticized plan to move Palestinians out of the war-battered Gaza Strip, saying Israel is willing to \"do the job\".
TechM in talks to set up GCC for Goodyear
Tech Mahindra Ltd (TechM) is in talks to build a global capability centre (GCC) for Ohio-based Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. in Hyderabad, two people aware of the matter said.
Six-month drug-resistant TB treatment regime to start soon
The Maharashtra government from next month will implement a six-month treatment regimen for drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), significantly reducing the current two-year treatment duration.
Parl panel suggests 'security assessment' of Indian missions
A parliamentary panel has recommended that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) should conduct a \"comprehensive security assessment\" of all missions and posts of India taking into account the geopolitical situation, potential threats and vulnerabilities in host countries.
Oppn seeks early restoration of peace, Kuki bodies hail decision
Opposition leaders on Sunday said N Biren Singh's resignation as Manipur chief minister was a decision too late and urged the Union government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make immediate intervention to end the ethnic tensions that have claimed at least 250 lives, displaced 60,000 people and upended normal life for close to two years in the region.