The Impressive TimesNew Delhi: The fifth edition of the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) will be held across seven cities in Rajasthan including Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Kota, and Bharatpur from November 24 to December 5, 2025. The Games will feature competitions in 23 medal sports and one demonstration sport, Kho-Kho. For the first time, beach volleyball, canoeing and kayaking, and cycling will be part of the medal events, while Kho-Kho will feature as a demonstration sport.
The event, organised in collaboration with the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), is expected to attract participation from over 5,000 athletes from across the country. Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya described the University Games as a milestone in India’s sports ecosystem. “Khelo India University Games play a crucial role in shaping champions. Universities worldwide contribute significantly to sports excellence, and KIUG provides our young athletes with a platform to showcase their potential at the national level,” Dr. Mandaviya said. “The Rajasthan edition will highlight India’s expanding sporting landscape and serve as the first step towards representing the nation on the global stage.” He further added, “Under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Khelo India initiative has created a strong ecosystem promoting participation, talent development, and excellence. These University Games in Rajasthan will inspire thousands of students to pursue sports alongside academics while reinforcing the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ through competition and camaraderie.”
The medal sports in KIUG 2025 include archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, fencing, football, hockey, judo, kabaddi, mallakhamb, rugby, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, yoga, cycling, beach volleyball, canoeing, and kayaking. In the previous edition of the Khelo India University Games held in the North-East, Chandigarh University emerged as the overall champion, followed by Lovely Professional University and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. The Khelo India initiative is the flagship Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. It serves as a national platform for identifying and nurturing sports talent through structured competitions held in the true spirit of the Olympic movement. The programme has successfully conducted 20 editions so far including seven editions of Khelo India Youth Games, four of University Games, five of Winter Games, two of Para Games, one of Beach Games, and one of the Water Sports Festival.
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