Jaipur, 25 November: The 5th edition of the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) began on November 24 with a spectacular opening ceremony at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, marking the start of a major multi-city university-level sporting extravaganza in Rajasthan.
The event saw participation from thousands of young athletes representing universities from across India, with more than 5,000 competitors registered to take part in 24 sporting disciplines including recently added ones such as canoeing, kayaking, cycling and beach volleyball.
The opening ceremony showcased a blend of sport, culture and state pride. The programme featured a parade of athletes, colourful folk performances celebrating Rajasthan’s heritage, and an aerial display above the stadium. The mascots “Khamma” and “Ghani” inspired by Rajasthan’s traditional greeting and camel heritage added a local flavour to the national event.
State Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore thanked the organising bodies including the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the Government of Rajasthan and the Rajasthan State Sports Council for their coordination. He emphasised that Rajasthan is “fully prepared to welcome the nation’s finest young athletes” and expressed his hope that the Games will help nurture the next generation of sports champions.
The Games will be held across seven cities in Rajasthan Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Ajmer, Bharatpur and Bikaner from November 24 to December 5. Athletes will be based in various state-of-the‐art venues prepared for the event.
As the competition gets underway, the focus will now shift to individual battles on the ground, as well as the infrastructure, volunteer support and logistical execution of the tournament all under the spotlight in what is one of the largest university-level multi-sport events held in India to date.