Kho kho is a popular traditional Indian game that is a variation of tag. Within India, it is played between states in the National Games of India and Khelo India and between franchise teams in the Ultimate Kho Kho league, which has the backing of the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI).History of National Games: India’s homespun Olympics! Olympics.com At the international level, India plays kho kho in the South Asian Games and the Kho Kho World Cup."Kho Kho, a kabaddi-like sport linked with Indian epic Mahabharata - know all about it" Olympics.com
History
Kho kho has been played for thousands of years within India, having been originally played by players on chariots (which were called raths) and been known as rathera. The game's rules were standardised in 1914, and it was demonstrated at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
The latest (56th) edition of the National Championship, which is conducted annually by KKFI, concluded in Delhi on 1 April 2024 with Maharashtra winning both the men's and women's National titles.
The sport was first introduced to the South Asian Games in the India-hosted 2016 edition. In 2022, an Indian franchise league known as Ultimate Kho Kho (UKK) began, featuring a modified format of kho kho. In 2025, the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup was played in the UKK format; it was hosted and won by India.
Performance record Men's team Kho Kho World Cup Year Winner Runners-up 3rd Place 2025
South Asian Games Year Winner Runners-up 3rd Place20162019
Women's team Kho Kho World Cup Year Winner Runners-up 3rd Place 2025
South Asian Games Year Winner Runners-up 3rd Place20162019
Governance The Kho Kho Federation of India administers kho kho within India.
National award recipients Year Recipient Award Gender1970 Arjuna Award Male1971 Arjuna Award Male1973 Arjuna Award Female1974 Arjuna Award Female1975 Arjuna Award Male1975 Arjuna Award Female1976 Arjuna Award Male1981 Arjuna Award Female1981 Arjuna Award Male1983 Arjuna Award Female1984 Arjuna Award Male1985 Arjuna Award Female1998 Arjuna Award Female2020 Arjuna Award Female2000 Dronacharya Award Male
See also Kabaddi in India India women's national kho kho team India men's national kho kho team
References