Hardly anyone knows about this sport from India but it has survived in this world for many decades

It is not known how or where Kho-Kho’s origin took place but as per tales, it may have appeared in the state of Maharashtra. Although the sport is not yet familiar at the world stage as compared to football or cricket, the first international Kho-Kho federation was established in 1987 and was designated as the Asian Kho-Kho federation. The event took place at the third South Asian Federation (SAF) Games that was held in India.

After generations of struggling, several pioneers of the game took it to a global stage as the first-ever Asian Kho-Kho Championship was carried in Kolkata in 1996 and several countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Sr Lanka, Maldives and Pakistan took part in it. In 2000, the second version of the tournament was hosted in Dhaka by Bangladesh.

While 1987 marked the formulation of the Asian Kho-Kho Federation, the Kho-Kho Federation of India came into reality in 1955 and the first-ever Kho-Kho championship in India is said to have been hosted in 1959. There are several alternative origins which also alleges that the first-ever local or regional Kho-Kho championships were held in 1914.

However, it was formally observed as an international sport at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and the 1987 SAF Games.

Legendary Players

Satish Rai: Satish Rai has been a legend of the game who has earned several medals and trophies. Back in 2010, the Kho-Kho Federation of India wished to conduct a World Kho-Kho Series, similar to the Baseball World Series. To aid the federation, Satish Rai played a compelling role by speaking to media.

Sarika Kale: The captain of India’s women’s Kho-Kho team, Kale has been playing the sport since she was 10. The star led the team to a gold medal in the 12th South Asian Games that was held in Guwahati.

Leagues

While India has witnessed a growth in sports like cricket, football, badminton, kabaddi; Kho-Kho has remained in the shadows for ages. To lift up the game, the Kho-Kho Federation of India has arranged the Ultimate Kho-Kho League which is identical to the Indian Premier League (cricket), Indian Super League (football) and the Pro-Kabaddi League.

Other countries

Apart from India, the indigenous sport is played by other prominent countries such as England, Scotland, Wales, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, South Africa and Kenya. In 2020, delegates from 16 nations visited India to learn better about the sport. However, the pandemic stalled the successive processes.