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Vinayak Padmadeo
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 8
The ancient Indian game of kho kho is going international. In what will be the sport’s first ever tournament outside the Subcontinent, the Kho Kho Federation of England (KKFE) is hosting a four-nation contest in London from September 1 to 4. Dubbed as the 1st International Kho Kho Cup, India, Scotland, Wales and hosts England will slug it out for the top honours.
The tournament is the result of a series of interaction between the kho kho federations of India and England since 2015. Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) secretary general Mahender Singh Tyagi first toured the UK in 2015 to conduct a series of kho kho clinics, mainly for Indian immigrants. A year later, an England team toured India for a four-match series. “The English federation is headed by a third-generation Indian, Brij Haldania. We have been in regular touch and all thanks to him and Rohit Haldania for this opportunity,” Tyagi told The Tribune on Wednesday.
The clinics and tours helped the sport flourish in the UK much beyond the expectations of the two federations. Interestingly, the England body will also host a national championship, involving 20 local teams, before the international tournament.
In India, though, the national championship for the sport is being held since 1956.
No clearance
While the sport is finally getting some much-needed international exposure, the Sports Ministry continues to have it in the non-priority category, and is yet to give travel clearance for the tournament. Tyagi, however, is expecting a positive response. “We will approach them again and I am sure we will get the necessary clearance to travel to England,” he said.
The London tournament has also given the sport’s administrators an opportunity to sell the game to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in Jakarta. OCA’s Director, International and NOC Relations, Vinod Tiwari has invited the Asian body to make a presentation before its Sports Committee in Jakarta on August 17, a day before the official opening of the Asian Games. If all goes well, kho kho may get another shot in the arm.