3,000 athletes to compete as CG hosts first tribal games

Raipur: Chhattisgarh will host the first-ever Khelo India Tribal Games 2026 from March 25 to April 3, bringing together over 3,000 tribal athletes from across India to compete in nine disciplines across Raipur, Bastar, and Surguja, with the aim of identifying talent and promoting inclusivity in sports.The competition features nine sporting disciplines. Athletics, hockey, football, archery, wrestling, weightlifting, and swimming will be held as competitive events, while mallakhamb and kabaddi are included as demonstration sports. Over 3,000 tribal athletes and officials from nearly 30 states are expected to participate. As of March 24, approximately 500 athletes have already arrived in the state. State sports minister Arun Sao announced the details in Raipur on Tuesday. The 10-day sporting event aims to provide a national platform for youth from remote tribal areas to showcase their skills. CM Vishnu Deo Sai will inaugurate the event in Raipur on Wednesday, and the closing ceremony will take place on April 3. The official mascot, ‘Morveer', which represents the courage of tribal communities, was previously unveiled by the CM in Bilaspur on Dec 23, 2025.The state capital will host football, hockey, archery, swimming, weightlifting, and kabaddi. A total of 106 gold medals are at stake. Athletics offers the highest tally with 34 gold medals, followed by swimming (24), wrestling (18), weightlifting (16), and archery (10). Hockey and football matches will be held in Raipur, while athletics events will take place in Jagdalpur and wrestling in Surguja.