New Delhi Februar, y 16
At the inauguration of Delhi Khel Mahakumbh, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta awarded Rs 75 Lakhs each to three Kho Kho players from Delhi - Mehul, Anshu Kumari and Nasreen- who represented India in the first Kho Kho World Cup held in January last year.
India won the title in both the men's and women's categories at the inaugural tournament, held from January 13 to January 19, 2025, at IG Stadium in New Delhi. A total of 20 men's and 19 women's teams from 23 nations across all 6 continents participated.
21-year-old Mehul has appeared in class XII examination this year through open schooling, and the result is awaited. His father is a driver, and his older brother is studying editing. At present, Mehul is receiving training at an SAI facility in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Anshu, 18 years old, is the youngest of three siblings and is studying for a Bachelor of Physical Education in Sports at Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab. She wants to use the prize money to buy a house for her parents and secure a government job through the sports quota.
"We have been living in rented accommodation at Alipur for a long time. Now, I want to buy a house for my parents. She also aspires to secure a government job in the Railways through the sports quota. Her brother, Ankit, has received the award on her behalf," said Anshu.
27-year-old Nasreen, an Arjuna Awardee Kho Kho player, is fifth among 11 siblings, seven sisters and four brothers, with her father Mohammed Ghafoor being the only earning member till 2018. She is the former captain of Indian Women's national Kho Kho team.
Sudhanshu Mittal, President, Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) said Kho Kho gives both recognition and opportunities and youth are inclined towards making a career in sport.
"Kho Kho now is a modern sport which is played on indigenously designed state-of-the-art mats and has elements of sports science in every of its dimensions be it training, nutrition, counselling, etc. The growing recognition is a testament to the game's rising popularity, its strong national presence, and an expanding global footprint," said Sudhanshu Mittal. "I thank the Delhi government, especially Delhi Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta and Minister Ashish Sood for the recognition. Besides a great help to players, the prize will inspire the young athletes to pursue a career in Kho Kho," added Mittal.
"It is a great honour to see our athletes being recognised for their achievements. We are committed to provide the best-in-class training and facilities to our players," said Upkar Singh Virk, General Secretary, KKFI.
"The first Kho Kho World Cup has brought the sport to the international limelight, and the players who participated are getting recognised by the respective state governments," said Dr. MS Tyagi, Secretary-Technical, International Kho Kho Federation (IKKF).
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, along with Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood and former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, participated in the inauguration ceremony of the Delhi Khel Mahakumbh at Chhatrasal Stadium on Friday.
- ANI
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