Union Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya today inaugurated the BRICS Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games 2026 at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports organised the games in collaboration with the Gujarat Government.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Dr. Mandaviya emphasised that traditional and indigenous sports serve as a vital bridge, preserving cultural identity while unlocking new opportunities for global collaboration. The Minister added that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, initiatives like Khelo India are fostering a sustainable sports ecosystem from the grassroots to the international level.
Mentioning upcoming international events in Ahmedabad, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi proposed five key initiatives for BRICS nations to preserve indigenous sports, including creatinga joint multilingual digital archive and integrating traditional games into academic curricula.
Designed as a non-competitive platform, the Games brought together delegations from member and partner countries who presented a diverse range of indigenous sports.
