Month-long pre-season fitness and fielding training camp for the Indian Kho Kho team before the World Cup2025: Sudhanshu Mittal

Let’s Kho

Sudhanshu Mittal.

Rakesh Thapliyal

New Delhi: ‘World Cup is ours’, this was the headline published by a leading newspaper of India, when India first won the Cricket World Cup in 1983 at Lords cricket ground of England. Now, in Kho kho India wants to show the world that Kho Kho World Cup will be ours.

IIndia is all set to host the first Kho Kho World Cup from Jan 13 to Jan 19, 2025 at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. Being a host, kho Kho federation of India wants to put full and best efforts in organizing the global event as well as to lift the champion’s cup in both men and women category. The man behind this thought is Sudhanshu Mittal, ‘hard working’ President of the Kho Kho federation of India. Mr. Mittal has arranged  one month-long pre-season fitness and fielding training camp for the Indian Kho Kho team before the Kho Kho World Cup. This camp will be held at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi from December 8, 2024, which will be aimed to focus on team building and to enhance the physical and mental strength of the players, ensuring they are in the best condition to face the challenges ahead.

The players will undergo a comprehensive training regime tailored to elevate their fitness levels, agility, leadership, strategic thinking and overall performance on the field,
Mr. Mittal said “60 players from each men’s and women’s team will participate in the training camp as part of their preparation for the Kho Kho World Cup 2025 being held from Jan 13 to Jan 19, 2025.”
These players have been selected on the basis of National Kho Kho Championship. The probable for both men’s and women’s teams were selected by the members of the national selection committee comprising experts.
A sports psychologist will be integrated into the program to conduct sessions for the team. This inclusion, a long-standing request from team members aims to assist players in addressing their challenges and effectively managing strain and cognitive drain.

He said that a total of 15 players from each men’s and women’s team will be selected in the camp for the World Cup team which will be held from 13th to 19th Jan 2025.
Sh Sudhanshu Mittal said that at present Kho Kho is being played in 54 countries in the globe out of which 32 teams both men and women from 23 countries will be competing for world supremacy.

The meet includes 16 teams in each division, setting the stage for an intense battle.

He said that the rest of the countries are likely to send observation delegates to witness the championship .
He said that foreign teams are likely to reach New Delhi from 10th Jan 2025 onwards and Kho Kho Federation of India has made elaborate arrangements for boarding, lodging and transportation of the visiting teams.
He said that around 800 players, support staff and coaches from foreign countries are likely to participate in the championship and added that KKFI will provide free boarding, lodging and transport facilities to the international players and supporting staff.
He said that KKFI is likely to spend around 75 crore rupees on organising this World Cup championship .
He said that Ease My Trip has been selected as the Travel and Host partner for the event.
He said that Star Sports will telecast live coverage of the event and live streaming of the matches will be telecast on Social Media platforms
Ahead of the World Cup, the KKFI plans to take the sport to 200 elite schools across 10 cities to promote the sport. The federation will also run a membership drive for the school students with the aim of registering atleast 50 lakh players ahead of the World Cup.
Shri Sudhanshu Mittal, President of the Kho Kho Federation of India, expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming event, “We are incredibly excited to host the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup. This tournament is not just about competition; it’s about bringing nations together, promoting cultural exchange, and showcasing the beauty and intensity of Kho Kho to the world.

The tournament will feature a week-long series of matches, with top-tier athletes from across the globe demonstrating their skills, agility, and teamwork. Meanwhile, the Kho Kho World Cup aims to elevate this indigenous Indian sport to an international stage. By hosting this landmark tournament, the KKFI aspires to secure Kho Kho’s place in the Asian Games and Olympic Games by the 2032 edition, Making this ancient Indian game truly international,