Sports Minister Dr Mandaviya announces Telangana as host state for Khelo India Youth Games 2026
New Delhi, July 8
The Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, on Wednesday announced that Telangana will host the upcoming edition of Khelo India Youth Games 2026, with the eighth iteration of the Games expected to be held in November.
Telangana will be the second Southern Indian state in three years to host Khelo India Youth Games. Tamil Nadu hosted the 2024 edition, while the last edition was hosted by Bihar in May 2025.
"In keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to spread major national events in all regions of the country, it is appropriate that Telangana should get the opportunity to host the prestigious Khelo India Youth Games. The state has the infrastructure and the enthusiasm to host these Games, where at least 8000 athletes, officials, and support staff are expected to participate," said Dr Mandaviya on Wednesday.
"We should see some quality performances this year. The Khelo India Youth Games 2026 are coming on the back of the Asian Games in Japan, and our athletes should be in peak form. The Games in Telangana will be a good time to celebrate as upcoming athletes will be able to see their heroes up close," said Dr Mandaviya.
Maharashtra, Haryana, and Rajasthan finished No. 1, 2, and 3 in the Khelo India Youth Games in 2025. Hosts, Bihar finished 15th while Telangana were 13th on the medal standings. In KIYG 2024, hosts Tamil Nadu finished No. 2 behind Maharashtra, while Telangana were in 6th position.
The Bihar edition saw 28 sports. Medals were given away in 27 sports, while e-sports were introduced as a demonstration event. Twenty-six records were created in KIYG 2025, of which 13 were national youth records, all in weightlifting. The rest were meet records and all in athletics.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally some positive news for Telangana in sports! The state has always had talent but lacked proper exposure. Khelo India Youth Games will bring athletes from all over India, and our local kids can learn from the best. Hope the government uses this opportunity to build more training facilities that last beyond 2026. 🤞
Good decision but I hope the funds allocated for this event are used transparently. We've seen many sports events in India where money gets wasted on inauguration ceremonies rather than athlete development. Also, Telangana finished 13th last time, so hosting won't automatically improve results. Need to focus on coaching and selection processes first. Just my honest opinion.
Exciting for Indian sports development! After Tokyo Olympics and Asian Games, it's great to see the government pushing grassroots initiatives. Telangana has a strong culture of sports like kabaddi, kho kho, and athletics in rural areas. Hope the Youth Games in 2026 can discover some real gems for future Olympics. Best wishes to all participating athletes! 🙌
As someone from Hyderabad, I'm thrilled! We have state-of-the-art indoor stadiums and the Gachibowli Sports Complex, but connectivity between venues needs improvement. Also, local bodies should engage schools and colleges in volunteering opportunities during the event. This could be a big boost for Telangana's economy and tourism too. Let's make Hyderabad proud! ✨
Hosting events is good, but what about the 28 sports mentioned? E-s
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.