Delhi set for Khelo India games in December

Sixteen disciplines — from archery to wrestling — for boys and girls will be hosted in the last week of December at iconic venues in the Capital. There will be a total of 209 gold medals up for grabs.

There will be a total of 209 gold medals up for grabs, with the major share going to athletics (36), swimming (35), wrestling (30), boxing (26), gymnastics (20), judo (16) and weightlifting (16).

The Khelo India School Games, in 16 disciplines from archery to wresting for boys and girls, will be hosted in the last week of December, in the iconic venues of the Capital.

Eight disciplines — badminton, basketball, boxing, gymnastics, judo, kabaddi, volleyball and wrestling will be staged at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium Complex.

There will be five disciplines at the Nehru Stadium, including archery, which has been proposed to be hosted at the India Gate. Athletics, football, kho-kho and weightlifting are scheduled at the Nehru Stadium.

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The Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Swimming Complex, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium and the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting range will host

swimming, hockey and shooting respectively.

The Khelo India Games, will be open only to select students in the under-17 age group, who meet the specified criteria. There will be a specific number of players and teams in each discipline.

The number of athletes in various disciplines will be, archery (256), athletics (576), badminton (192), basketball (192), boxing (416), football (288), gymnastics (392), hockey (288), judo (256), kabaddi (192), kho-kho (192), shooting (128), swimming (528), volleyball (192), weightlifting (256) and wrestling (480).

There will be a total of 209 gold medals up for grabs, with the major share going to athletics (36), swimming (35), wrestling (30), boxing (26), gymnastics (20), judo (16) and weightlifting (16).

In comparison, archery (6), badminton (6), shooting (4) will offer few gold medals, apart from team games like basketball, football, hockey, kabaddi, kho-kho and volleyball which will all offer a gold medal each to the boys and girls champions.

The selection of athletes for each discipline has also been clarified. The top eight from the 63rd SGFI National School Games will be taken apart from four nominations from federation, one each from CBSE and host State apart from two wild card entries for the individiual events.

In team competition, the top four teams from the National School Games will be joined by two teams nominated by the federation apart from one each from the host State and the organising committee.

For the three disciplines archery, badminton and shooting which will have 32 participants in each event, the top 16 from the National School Games will be joined by eight nominated by the federation, one each from CBSE, host State and organising committee, apart from six wild cards.

The best talent selected from the Khelo India Games will gain scholarship to the tune of about five lakh rupees each, per year, to help them pursue a sporting career.