GAMES VILLAGES PLAY

The ongoing Chhattisgarhiya Olympics are a celebration of traditional Indian games

- Shail Desai

While growing up, Kuleshwar Nag indulged in every game there was on offer in his village of Shankarpur in the Kondagaon district of Chhattisgarh. He would often get yelled at by family elders for not attending to his studies, but it was hardly a deterrent. However, after the passing of his father, he was forced to quit school in the eighth grade; the play came to a halt as well.

It was a long wait for Nag to get back on the field. When the Chhattisgarhiya Olympics were announced last year, he knew he had to go. “I was always good at games, the leader of the pack. Through this event, I could once again captain the kho-kho and kabaddi teams and relive those childhood days,” says Nag, 22.