Uttarakhand to organise Khel Mahakumbh 2026 across four levels

Uttarakhand will organise Khel Mahakumbh 2026 from September 1 to October 30, with competitions planned across nyaya panchayat, assembly constituency, parliamentary constituency and state levels.

The event, being conducted under the Chief Minister Championship Trophy, will feature competitions across a wide range of sporting disciplines. The Youth Welfare and Provincial Guard Dal Department has issued a detailed action plan outlining the schedule and structure of the programme.

Competitions to progress through four stages

The first phase of Khel Mahakumbh will comprise local representative-level competitions at the nyaya panchayat level from September 1 to 10.

The assembly-level MLA Championship Trophy competitions will follow from September 11 to 20, while MP Championship Trophy competitions at the parliamentary constituency level are scheduled from September 21 to 30.

State-level Chief Minister Championship Trophy competitions will be held from September 10 to October 30.

The competition structure includes both direct-entry events and disciplines in which athletes will qualify through competitions conducted at lower levels.

Grassroots events for young athletes

The nyaya panchayat-level competitions will include boys and girls in the under-14 and under-19 categories. Kabaddi, athletics, kho-kho and murga jhapatt are among the disciplines listed for this stage.

At the assembly constituency level, volleyball and pittuu seedhe will be conducted directly, while some other competitions will draw participants selected at the nyaya panchayat level.

The parliamentary constituency stage will feature malkhamb, tug of war, goli or kancha, football and badminton, alongside competitions based on selections from the assembly-level contests.

State programme covers multiple disciplines

The state-level competitions will feature a larger mix of sports, including judo, boxing, table tennis, taekwondo, karate, basketball, hockey, handball, yogasana and swimming.

Other disciplines include archery, fencing, wrestling, pencak silat, powerlifting, weightlifting, baseball and lawn tennis.

Some competitions will have direct participation at the state level, while others will be based on selection through assembly constituency competitions.

The programme will also include events for women in the open category and open-category competitions for women and men with disabilities.

Aim to widen access to competitive sport

The state government has said that Khel Mahakumbh is intended to promote sporting talent among young people and provide athletes from rural and remote parts of Uttarakhand with a platform to compete.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the event would help encourage emerging athletes and give them opportunities to participate in competitions at state and national levels.

The multi-stage structure is intended to enable athletes to begin competing at the grassroots level and progress through higher levels based on their performance.

Youth Welfare and Provincial Guard Dal Director Deepti Singh has issued the detailed action plan and sought cooperation from the departments concerned for the smooth conduct of the competitions.

The programme, spread over two months, will bring together athletes across age groups and sporting categories, while also providing dedicated opportunities for women and persons with disabilities.