Khelo India University Games in Rajasthan from November 24 - December 05; Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya says KIUG ‘stepping stone to glory’

Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Khelo India University Games in Rajasthan from November 24 - December 05; Sports Minister Dr.

Mansukh Mandaviya says KIUG ‘stepping stone to glory’ Beach Volleyball, Canoeing and Kayaking, Cycling and Kho-Kho to Feature for the First Time at the 5th Khelo India University Games

Posted On: 16 OCT 2025 5:34PM by PIB Delhi The fifth edition of Khelo India University Games (KIUG) will be held in seven cities of Rajasthan from th th November 24 to December 5 , 2025. Competition will be held in 23 medal sports and one demonstration sport (kho-kho).

Like the Khelo India Youth Games in Bihar earlier this year, the University Games too will be spread across seven cities– Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Kota, and Bharatpur. More than 5,000 athletes are expected to take part in the 12-day University meet.

Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, said “The Khelo India University Games are a crucial link in India’s sporting pathway. Across the world, universities play a vital role in shaping champions, and KIUG provides our young athletes a platform to showcase their ability at a national level. The Rajasthan edition will highlight India’s expanding sporting landscape and will be a stepping stone to glory for many who aspire to represent the nation globally.” Elaborating further, Dr. Mandaviya said “Under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Khelo India initiative has created a robust ecosystem that encourages participation, talent development, and excellence.

The University Games in Rajasthan will inspire thousands of students to pursue sports alongside academics and strengthen the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ through competition and camaraderie.” In KIUG 2025, there will be 23 medal sports and one demonstration discipline. The medal sports include archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, fencing, football, hockey, judo, kabaddi, mallakhamb, rugby, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, yogasana, cycling, beach volleyball, canoeing and kayaking.

Kho-kho will be a demonstration event. For the first time, beach volleyball, canoeing and kayaking, and cycling are being introduced in the KIUG programme.

In the last Khelo India University Games held in North-east India, Chandigarh University emerged champions. Lovely Professional University and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar finished second and third, respectively.

ABOUT KHELO INDIA The Khelo India Scheme is the flagship Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.

Khelo India Games are the basic platform to showcase sporting skills and, accordingly, become a platform for talent spotting and providing development pathways for gifted and talented children to achieve excellence.

These National-level competitions are being organized in the true spirit of the Olympic Movement byassociating various stakeholders like concerned National Sports Federations, School Games Federation of India, Association of Indian Universities, etc. Under this programme so far, 20 editions of Khelo India Games have been conducted across the country with seven editions of Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), four editions of Khelo India University Games, five editions of Khelo India Winter Games, and two editions of Khelo India Para Games, one edition of Khelo India Beach Games, and one edition of Khelo India Water Sports Festival.

***** Rini Choudhury/Anjelina Alexander (Release ID: 2179967)