From mud to the mat

The Kho Kho Federation is sparing no effort to put the sport on the map

- GEETIKA SRIVASTAVA

ARIEL DANCERS PERFORMING to the tunes of the British rock band Coldplay; a group dance performance choreographed by star performer Shiamak Davar; an energetic welcome to players from 23 countries in the presence of Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, and IOA President PT Usha. No, not IPL—all that razzmatazz on display earlier this week at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium marked the inauguration of the first edition of the Kho Kho World Cup.

It also marked the culmination of the behind-the-scene efforts by the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) over the past few years to put a sport deeply rooted in Indian tradition onto a global stage.

The KKFI says the World Cup has garnered sponsorships of over ₹80 crore for the 2025 World Cup, which is double the amount backing Kabaddi this last season. Brands like EaseMyTrip, GMR Aero, Zomato, Blackberrys, and Tata have come on board, signalling kho kho's potential.