Overview

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the Khelo India Beach Games as a transformative milestone for Indian sports, emphasizing their unifying potential and celebration of coastal heritage.
• Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya officially launched the event at Ghoghla Beach, Diu, where athletes from over 30 states and Union Territories are competing in six medal sports and two demonstration disciplines.
• The Beach Games are part of the newly launched Khelo India Annual Calendar, which introduces year-round competitions, including school, martial arts, water, and North-East Games, to strengthen grassroots sports ecosystems.
• Medal events at the Beach Games include beach soccer, volleyball, kabaddi, sepak takraw, pencak silat, and open water swimming, with traditional sports mallakhamb and tug-of-war featured as demonstrations.
• The Khelo India initiative, launched in 2017-18, has seen significant government investment, with its budget tripling to ₹4,000 crore, aiming to prepare India for global events like the Commonwealth Games 2030 and Olympic Games 2036.