Khelo India Youth Games to bring 8,000 participants to Telangana

Telangana will host the 8th Khelo India Youth Games from December 11 to 22, 2026, across six cities. Around 8,000 participants are expected, with 29 disciplines, including softball as a competitive sport and sailing and Karra Samu as demonstrations

Hyderabad: Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya and Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy unveiled the logo and mascot of the 8th edition of the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) in Delhi on Sunday. The Games are scheduled to be held in Telangana from December 11 to 22, 2026.

Mandaviya said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had placed special emphasis on connecting the youth with sports and integrating sports into the broader vision of the country’s development.

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“The Union Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is committed to promoting sports. Various competitions, including the Khelo India Youth Games, Beach Games, Winter Games and Tribal Games, are being organised under the Khelo India initiative to encourage greater participation of the younger generation in sports,” Mandaviya said.

The Union Sports Minister and the Telangana Chief Minister also expressed their gratitude to the Prime Minister for his guidance and support in organising the Khelo India Youth Games in Telangana.

Revanth Reddy said events such as the Khelo India Youth Games would help advance the Prime Minister’s vision of a ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat’, while encouraging young people to stay away from substance abuse and other social challenges.

Around 8,000 athletes and participants are expected to converge in Telangana for the Games, which will be held across six cities: Hyderabad, Khammam, Karimnagar, Hanumakonda, Mahabubnagar and Nizamabad.

The Telangana edition of the Khelo India Youth Games will feature 29 disciplines, comprising 27 competitive sports and two demonstration events.

The competitive disciplines include archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, cycling, fencing, football, Gatka, gymnastics, hockey, judo, kabaddi, Kalaripayattu, kho-kho, Mallakhamb, rowing, shooting, swimming, softball, table tennis, tennis, Thang-Ta, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling and Yogasana.

Sailing and Karra Samu will feature as demonstration sports.

Softball will be included as a competitive discipline in the Khelo India Youth Games for the first time. Sailing and Karra Samu will also make their debut as demonstration sports.

The launch event was attended by Telangana Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Vakiti Srihari; Irrigation and CAD Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy; Government Advisor on Sports Affairs and Telangana Olympic Association president A P Jithender Reddy; and Telangana Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju.

The Khelo India Youth Games logo brings together Telangana’s rich cultural heritage and sporting aspirations through eight key elements.

The Khelo India emblem, featuring a saffron-and-green running figure, represents the national programme, youth and momentum. The Gandhi Tower, part of the proposed Gandhi Sarovar at Bapu Ghat, symbolises peace, unity and Hyderabad’s vision for the future, while the Kakatiya Kala Thoranam reflects the State’s rich heritage and spirit of welcome.