Yogasana, Mallakhamba to make debut at National Games in Gujarat

New Delhi: Yogasana and Mallakhamba, which were successfully introduced in the Khelo India Youth Games, will make debut at the 36th National Games to be held in Gujarat from September 27 to October 10.

The two indigenous sports were for the first time included at the Khelo India Youth Games in Panchkula in May.

Announcing the inclusion of Yogasana and Mallakhamba, the Indian Olympic Association in a statement said the National Games will see a total of 36 sports and participation from all 28 states and eight Union Territories.

Themed ‘Sports for Unity’, the Games will take place in six cities of Gujarat — Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, and Bhavnagar.

In the previous edition in Kerala in 2015, there were 33 sports on the roster.

Among other sports included in the Games are roller skating, softball, and soft tennis, while beach handball, beach volleyball, and yachting were excluded.

”These are going to be the best ever National Games by far. The Gujarat Government ably supported by their State Olympic Association and other officials are already working day and night to make the Games a spectacle for fans,” IOA secretary general Rajiv Mehta said.

The Games are happening after a gap of five years. Goa was to hold this edition of the Games but multiple delays, mainly due to infrastructure-related issues, led to postponement several times. Services Sports Promotion Board topped the medal charts in each of the three previous editions.