Uttarakhand

• 11 Jan 2025

PM to Inaugurate 38th National Games

Why in News? 

The Prime Minister is going to inaugurate the 38^th National Games scheduled to take place from 28^th January to 14^th February 2025 in Uttarakhand. 

 Key Points 

• About the Games: 
  • The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has announced Uttarakhand as the host for the 2025 National Games. 
  • Over 10,000 athletes, officials, and coaches will participate, competing in 38 sports across multiple cities in the state. 
• Landmark Event for Indian Sports: 
  • IOA President P.T. Usha described the 38th National Games as a significant event to promote traditional and modern sports in India. 
  • The inclusion of demonstration sports like kalarippayattu, yogasana, mallakhambh, and rafting as a tribute to India’s rich heritage and an opportunity for emerging athletes. 
• About the National Games: 
  • The National Games is an Olympic-style event where athletes from states and Union Territories compete for medals. 
  • The 2025 edition will feature 32 core sporting disciplines and four demonstration events. 
  • Previous Editions: 
    • The 2023 National Games were held in Goa and spanned across five cities- Mapusa, Margao, Panjim, Ponda, Vasco. 
    • Maharashtra topped the medal tally with 228 medals, including 80 gold. 
    • The 2022 edition in Gujarat marked a revival of the event after a seven-year gap since 2015. 

 Kalaripayattu 

• It is a martial art based on the ancient knowledge of the human body. 
• It originated in Kerala during the 3^rd century BC to the 2^nd century AD. It is now practised in Kerala and in some parts of Tamil Nadu. 
• The place where this martial art is practised is called a 'Kalari'. It is a Malayalam word that signifies a kind of gymnasium. Kalari literally means 'threshing floor' or 'battlefield'. The word Kalari first appears in the Tamil Sangam literature to describe both a battlefield and combat arena. 
• It is considered to be one of the oldest fighting systems in existence. 
• It is also considered as the father of modern Kung - Fu. 

  

Mallakhamb 

• Mallakhamb is a traditional sport, originating from the Indian subcontinent, in which a gymnast performs aerial yoga or gymnastic postures and wrestling grips with a vertical stationary or hanging wooden pole, cane, or rope 
• The name Mallakhamb derives from the terms malla, meaning wrestler, and khamb, which means a pole. Literally meaning "wrestling pole", the term refers to a traditional training implement used by wrestlers. 
• Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have been the hotspots of this sport.