**Summary:**
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports will host the inaugural Khelo India Water Sports Festival at Dal Lake in Srinagar from August 21st to 23rd, 2025. Announced by Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, this event follows the Khelo India Beach Games in Diu and signifies the government's commitment to expanding sports participation across India. The festival will feature kayaking and canoeing, rowing, water skiing, shikara races, and dragon boat competitions. Over 400 athletes from 36 states and union territories are expected to participate. Athletes will be nominated by National Sports Federations based on merit. The event aims to identify and develop emerging talent in water sports to prepare them for international competitions, leveraging India's existing water sports infrastructure and coaching resources. This water sports festival is the fifth Khelo India event in 2025, preceded by the Winter Games in Ladakh and J&K, the Para Games in Delhi, the Youth Games in Bihar and Delhi, and the Beach Games in Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman Diu.
Key Entities Referenced
Ladakh: Location of Khelo India Winter Games.
Diu: Location of Khelo India Beach Games.
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports: The Indian government ministry responsible for youth affairs and sports.
Khelo India Water Sports Festival: A water sports festival organized as part of the Khelo India program.
Bharat: Alternative name of India
Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya: Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports.
Dal Lake, Jammu and Kashmir: A lake in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, the venue for the Khelo India Water Sports Festival.
Khelo India: A national program for the development of sports in India.
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Khelo India Water Sports Festival in August; ‘We are
committed to broad base sports in Bharat,’ says
Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya
Srinagar’s Iconic Dal Lake will host the Inaugural
Water Games
from 21st- 23rd August, 2025
Posted On: 03 JUL 2025 5:17PM by PIB Delhi
st
The first-ever Khelo India Water Sports Festival will be held at Srinagar’s iconic Dal Lake from August 21 –
rd
23 . This was announced by the Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, on
Thursday.
Part of its growing Khelo India calendar, the inaugural edition of the Water Games in Jammu and
Kashmir comes on the back of the first Khelo India Beach Games which were held in Diu in May.
The water sports festival will see five sports – kayaking and canoeing, rowing, water skiing, shikara
race and dragon boat.
“The Khelo India Water Sports Festival is another proof of the government’s commitment to broad base
sports and creating more opportunities for athletes to express themselves at the national level. Like the first
Khelo India Beach Games in Diu, we want Khelo India to become more inclusive and reach out to every
corner of the country,” said Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya.
The open-age competition is expected to see participation of 400-plus athletes from the 36 States
and Union Territories. The nomination of athletes will be made by the National Sports Federation
from their national championships or other suitable events or as decided by the Games Technical
Conduct Committee on a merit basis.
“India has a decent standing in water sports in Asia. The water sports festival in Dal Lake will help
expose emerging talent and prepare them for international events. Our water sports facilities have
the latest infrastructure and good coaches. We only want new athletes to come and seek
excellence in water games,” Dr Mandaviya added.
The upcoming water sports festival will be the fifth Khelo India event in 2025 following the Khelo
India Winter Games in Ladakh and J&K, the Para Games in Delhi, the Khelo India Youth Games in
Bihar and Delhi and most recently, the Beach Games in the Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar
Haveli and Daman & Diu.
*****
Manish Gautam/Divyanshu Kumar/Anjelina Alexander(Release ID: 2141840)