‘Khelo India Tribal Games Chhattisgarh-2026’ to be Held from March 25 to April 6

Event Will Give a New Platform to Tribal Youth: Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai

Raipur, March 2026 : The state will host the ‘Khelo India Tribal Games Chhattisgarh-2026’ from March 25 to April 6, 2026, with the objective of promoting sports and providing a national platform to talented athletes from tribal regions. The competitions will be held at sports venues in Raipur, Sarguja, and Bastar. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai reviewed the preparations for this major event during a meeting of the Sports and Youth Welfare Department at the Mahanadi Bhavan Secretariat.

The Chief Minister said that youth are the future of both the state and the nation. He emphasized that the state government is fully committed to supporting young people in education, employment, skill development, and sports. According to him, the Khelo India Tribal Games 2026 will not only provide recognition to the talents of athletes from forest and tribal regions but will also serve as a strong platform to help them reach the national level.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister also reviewed the Chhattisgarh Sports Promotion Scheme, approvals and construction of sports infrastructure in the state, implementation of central Khelo India schemes, activities of sports academies, sports awards, youth festivals, and future action plans. He sought details about large-scale and international-level sports infrastructure projects approved in recent years and instructed officials to ensure that all works are completed within the stipulated timelines while maintaining high construction quality.

It is noteworthy that the Government of India has granted Chhattisgarh the hosting rights for the first Khelo India Tribal Games. A total of seven competitive sports and two demonstration sports will be organized during the event.

• Raipur: Archery, Football, Hockey, Weightlifting, Swimming, and Kabaddi (demonstration)
• Sarguja: Wrestling and Mallakhamb (demonstration)
• Bastar: Athletics

Around 2,500 players and officials from nearly 30 states across the country are expected to participate in the competition.

Reiterating the state government’s commitment to encouraging sporting talent, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that players who perform exceptionally well in the games will be given incentive awards. Mallakhamb athletes will receive a special incentive of ₹1 lakh, and the state government will bear the full travel expenses to the United States for Mallakhamb player Anatai Potai, who has been selected for America’s Got Talent.

The Chief Minister also noted that the participation of more than 1.65 lakh youth in the Bastar Olympics reflects that Chhattisgarh is moving rapidly towards peace, development, and positive transformation while emerging from the shadow of Naxalism. He said that tribal regions possess immense sports talent and the state government is continuously working to identify and nurture these abilities.

During the review meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao said that in the coming years, the Bastar and Sarguja regions will also host Olympic-level sports events, which will further strengthen the state’s identity at the national level.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Vikas Sheel, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Subodh Kumar Singh, Secretary Rahul Bhagat, Public Works Department Secretary Kamalpreet Singh, Sports and Youth Welfare Secretary Yashwant Kumar, Director of Sports Tanuja Salam, and other officials.