New Delhi: India is all set to host the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup from January 13 to 19 at the IGI Stadium here. The event will witness participation of 24 countries in both men’s and women’s competitions.

The Kho Kho World Cup will be an opportunity to showcase the indigenous game as a dynamic, traditional sport of India to the world. The World Cup’s official logo along with the tagline #TheWorldGoesKho was unveiled on Wednesday.

Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) president Sudhanshu Mittal said it will be a big moment for the sport in India.

“The excitement will be at its peak. For us at the KKFI, it is a big opportunity provided by the International Kho Kho Federation to host the first Kho Kho World Cup. Both men and women’s competitions will be held and we have received good response for the tournament. It’s a matter of pride that countries across the world have sent their entries for the event,” Mittal said.

“There’s a limitation on the number of teams that can participate and every continent has a quota of teams. We want to take kho kho to the Asian Games and the Olympics and this is just the start,” he added.

Talking about the rules for the tournament, Mittal said the ‘wazir’ rule will make it more interesting for the spectators.

“We’ve altered the rules and made it more spectator friendly. There is a concept of ‘wazir’ which has been introduced by the international federation. It has made the game more entertaining. The journey of kho kho from ground to mat is phenomenal. It’s a very fast game and Indian players are excited as they will now get the opportunity to win the title of world champion,” Mittal said.

“We are making big preparations for the tournament. There will be activities in the schools to make the children acquainted with the sport,” he added.

Read Also: ‘You have to draw joy from the journey’

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON !