NEW DELHI: New Delhi: Union minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur on Thursday said that the fifth  edition of Khelo India Youth Games will be held in Madhya Pradesh from 31 January to 11 February, 2023. Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan was present on the occasion.

The venue for the Games was officiallly announced in the presence of Chief Minister of MP, Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The sports competition is scheduled to commence on January 31, 2023 and end on February 11.

The Union Minister of State for the Ministries of Home Affairs and Youth Affairs and Sports, Nisith Pramanik, Minister of Sports and Youth Welfare, Government, was also present at the occasion on Thursday afternoon. Sandip Pradhan, Director General of the Sports Authority of India Sujata Chaturvedi, Secretary Sports Yashodhara Raje Scindia, and other dignitaries from the Union Sports Ministry and the Sports Authority of India attended.

The upcoming edition of the Khelo India Youth Games will feature a total of 27 disciplines; with water sports being included for the first time in the history of the games. New disciplines like Canoe Slalom, Kayaking, Canoeing and Rowing will also feature along with the usual sports and indigenous games.

Speaking at the meet, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, said, “I thank the honourable  Prime Minister Narendr Modi from the bottom of my heart for giving Madhya Pradesh the occassion to host the Khelo India Youth Games. We pledge to make it the most special Khelo India games ever and host it keeping in mind our philosophy of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’.

“We have world-class sports stadiums in Madhya Pradesh like the shooting and water sports academies. Many other facilities are also coming up. With the growing development in infrastructure and with the privilege of getting to host Khelo India Youth Games, I am certain a sports revolution will take place in Madhya Pradesh,” the Hon’ble CM of Madhya Pradesh added. Mentioning that the indigenous games will once again be a part of the upcoming KIYG, Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said,

The objective of the Honorable Prime Minister was to support both indigenous and Olympic sports equally. I am thankful of Madhya Pradesh for designating Mallakhamb as its national sport. I am happy that States are stepping forward to contribute to the development of our sports environment, like MP. The Union Minister said, "All the States should take note of it and realise that we must work together to advance sports from the district level to the State level and beyond. Nisith Pramanik remarked, extending his best wishes: "The Madhya Pradesh Government has done everything possible to encourage athletes over the years. Every State should serve as a model for how the Honorable PM's vision of assisting athletes in reaching their peak is developing. The forthcoming Khelo India Youth Games in the "country of Mahakal" will undoubtedly be the most memorable ones yet.