Raipur, March 24 The first edition of the 10-day 'Khelo India Tribal Games' will begin here on Wednesday with around 3,800 athletes from across the country competing in nine sports disciplines, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao said.
Describing the games as a "milestone" in Indian sporting history, Sao said it would provide a major boost to the state's sports ecosystem and infrastructure.
The inaugural ceremony will be held at the Science College Ground in Raipur on Wednesday evening. Union Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will be the chief guest, while Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai will preside over the function.
Sao said the state has earlier organized events such as 'Surguja Olympics' and 'Bastar Olympics' on a smaller scale, and hosting the Khelo India Tribal Games marks a significant step on a larger national platform.
"This is a historic and memorable occasion for Chhattisgarh. It will strengthen our sporting talent and infrastructure, while also providing valuable experience in organizing national-level competitions," he said.
The exposure to national and international-level athletes would be highly enriching for local players, said Sao.
The games will feature competitions in archery, athletics, football, hockey, swimming, weightlifting, and wrestling, while mallakhamb and kabaddi will be showcased as demonstration sports.
The competitions will be held in Raipur, Jagdalpur, and Surguja cities, and will conclude on April 3. A total of 106 gold medals will be contested, with athletics offering the highest number (34), followed by swimming (24), wrestling (18), weightlifting (16), and archery (10). Hockey and football, being team sports, will be held in Raipur, athletics in Jagdalpur, and wrestling in Surguja, the minister said.
