Gatka, Kalaripayattu, Thang-Ta, Mallakhamba included in Khelo India Youth Games 2021

The Sports Ministry on Sunday announced that Manipur's indigenous martial arts game Thang-Ta will be part of the Khelo India Youth Games 2021. Apart from Thang-Ta, three other games from different states — Gatka from Punjab, Kerala's Kalaripayattu and Mallakhamba (popular in Madhya Pradesh and Maharastra) — will also be a part of the Games which will be held in Haryana's Panchkula.

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju took to Twitter to make the announcement.

India has a rich culture of indigenous games. PM @NarendraModi Ji wants to preserve & popularise all of them. I'm very happy to announce that 4 Indigenous Games of Kalaripayattu, Mallakamb, Gatka and Thang-Ta have been added to Khelo India Youth Games 2020 along with Yogasana! pic.twitter.com/f7e2Wn88Vk

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) December 20, 2020

He added, "The games have huge popularity and are telecast across the country by Star Sports, so I am confident that in the 2021 Khelo India Youth Games these four disciplines, along with Yogasana, will get their much-deserved attention among sports enthusiasts and youth of the country. In the coming years, we will be able to add more indigenous sports at the Khelo Games."

The promotion of Manipur's indigenous martial arts game was hailed by Nongthombam Biren Singh, the state's chief minister, who took to Twitter to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rijiju.