What Is the Khelo India Scheme: Eligibility, Impact, Updates, & More

An individual’s development is incomplete without two major components: mental exercise and physical exercise and these two contribute to the holistic development of a healthy adult. In today’s digital age where most people work using various electronic devices, we are forgetting the importance physical exercise holds. Children from a very young age are given devices like smartphones or tablets which is one of the biggest hindrances toward their holistic growth and development.

One of the best ways to be physically active is by playing sports. To promote and encourage people to engage in physical exercises by playing sports and building better infrastructure for the athletes, the government of India launched the Khelo India Scheme. The government scheme aims to remind the people of India about the significance of physical exercise and the crucial need for one to be physically active by playing sports.

What Is the Khelo India Scheme?

The Khelo India Scheme was launched by the government of India in the year 2018 under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The main aim of the govt scheme is to encourage people to play various types of sports and stay physically fit. The Khelo India Program also aims to build and improve the infrastructure of sports in India, provide training to athletes to sharpen their skills, and help them make a career in the field of sports. The scheme provides financial and supportive aid to athletes so that their professional journeys’ can be as smooth as possible.

History Of The Khelo India Scheme

The Khelo India Program was proposed in the year 2017 by the govt as they recognised the need to encourage and promote the culture of sports in the people of India. Sports is still one of those fields that isn’t considered a formal career option. Gifted and skilled athletes struggle to pursue sports as their profession because of family and societal pressures.

Hence, the government launched the Khelo India Scheme to promote the culture of sports and to help those who truly want to play for the country and build their careers. The Khelo India Program began with the Khelo India School Games in 2018. Later, the Indian Olympic Association tied hands with the govt scheme in 2019 which helped in expanding the scheme’s reach.

The Khelo India Scheme has various components and parts and one of its parts is the Khelo India Winter Games wherein people play winter sports. The first Khelo India Winter Games was organised in 2020 in Leh and Gulmarg.

Benefits Of The Khelo India Scheme

There are innumerable benefits of the Khelo India Scheme. Some of the key benefits are mentioned below in brief for one’s better understanding:

• Support: The Khelo India Program not only identifies talented sportsmen but also helps in building a successful career in their favourite sports by providing scholarships, resources, training, and related support.

• Promotion of sports: The govt scheme aims to encourage people to play various types of sports and maintain their physical fitness.

• Recognised platform: The scheme provides a platform for sportsmen to showcase their skills and move up their professional careers as athletes.

Eligibility Criteria

Interested individuals first need to ensure whether they fit into the eligibility criteria or not. The eligibility criteria are as follows:

• Must be an Indian citizen.

• Must be a student studying in school or college.

• Must be between the ages of 10 to 21 years.

Games Introduced Under The Khelo India Scheme

Major games covered under the Khelo India Program are mentioned below for one’s reference and better understanding:

• Archery

• Athletics

• Badminton

• Basketball

• Boxing

• Football

• Gymnastics

• Hockey

• Judo

• Kabaddi

• Kho-Kho

• Shooting

• Swimming

• Volleyball

• Weightlifting

• Wrestling

Government Sources

Official Website

Contact Information