Jaipur, Dec 3(UNI) In a major push to sports in Rajasthan, the state government will be organising the 'Khelo Rajasthan' in 2026 with focus on rural talent.
Speaking to UNI on the sidelines of the ongoing Khelo India University Games 2025 (KIUG) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium here on Tuesday, Secretary of the Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of Rajasthan, Dr. Neeraj K. Pawan said the target is to bring sports culture to the remotest villages.
"The KIUG 2025 won't be a one-off event for Rajasthan as we intend to build on the momentum established by it, right after this we will have the Khelo Rajasthan where all the 14,000 panchayats will participate. The Panchayat level winners will play at the block level and the winners at the block level will subsequently play at the district level and after that state level. We will ensure that sports culture takes root even at the remotest villages."
Dr. Pawan informed that Khelo Rajasthan will start from January, 2026. "KIUG will conclude in December and in January 2026 we will start the Khelo Rajasthan games."
Regarding the ongoing KIUG 2025 he said that the state government wants to put its best foot forward through the event and besides being a sporting programme it should also be a showcase for Rajasthan's culture and tourism.
"As per the desire of our Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, we have spread out the games across the state, the event is being organised across seven venues. Jaipur is hosting 11 sports, Udaipur has got three sports, while the other five sub-centres have two sports each. This way we are showcasing our tourist centres – the lakes of Udaipur, hillocks of Bikaner, the river front of Kota, and the forts of Jaipur. We are highlighting our ancient culture and aim to ensure that visitors have a memorable experience."
The Khelo India University Games 2025 are being organised from November 24 to December 5 in Rajasthan, as many as 4448 athletes from 222 Universities are competing in 23 medal disciplines.
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