Gujarat's Khel Mahakumbh has recorded participation of over 76 lakh in its 2026 edition, a nearly fivefold jump from the 16.5 lakh who took part in the inaugural event in 2010, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced on Friday, 9 October, while inaugurating the statewide sporting initiative in Vadodara. Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi was present at the ceremony. The milestone underscores Gujarat's emergence as one of India's most active grassroots sports ecosystems.

Scale and growth of Khel Mahakumbh

Launched in 2010 with roughly 16 lakh participants, Khel Mahakumbh has grown into a flagship state-level sporting drive, connecting athletes from schools, villages, towns, and cities across Gujarat. Patel credited the initiative's expansion to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of promoting sports under the mantra 'Khele Te Khile' — a philosophy that positions sporting participation as the foundation of individual development.

'Gujarat has always had talented sportspersons. By providing them with the right platform and opportunities, Khel Mahakumbh has fostered a new sports culture in the state,' Patel said at the inauguration.

Athlete development and national schemes

Patel highlighted that around 410 athletes from Gujarat are currently being trained under the Centre's Khelo India initiative, while 11 athletes from the state are part of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), representing India at the international level. The Shaktidoot Scheme, launched in 2006 to support talented athletes, has seen a tenfold expansion under Patel's leadership — rising from 50 to 500 beneficiaries, according to Sanghavi.

Sanghavi also noted that the budget for athletes' training and facilities had been increased fourfold during the current administration, with the government aiming to strengthen sporting infrastructure at the taluka and rural levels.

Top performers felicitated

At the inauguration, Patel and Sanghavi felicitated the best-performing schools from Khel Mahakumbh 2025. Knowledge High School in Nadiad, Kheda district, claimed first place, receiving a trophy and ₹5 lakh. Urmi School in Vadodara finished second, earning ₹3 lakh, while S.R. High School in Devgadh Baria, Dahod district, came third with a prize of ₹2 lakh.

Among districts, Mehsana was declared the overall state champion, with Kheda as state runner-up and Ahmedabad as second runner-up. In the municipal corporation category, Surat secured the overall championship, ahead of Ahmedabad and Vadodara.

Broader goals: Olympics 2036 and digital-age fitness

Patel referred to the Prime Minister's goal of strengthening India's participation across more sporting disciplines by 2036, stating that Gujarat had 'taken the challenge as an opportunity' and was actively preparing athletes for international competitions. He also urged young people to reduce screen time and engage in outdoor sports, echoing Modi's appeal to move away from PlayStations and towards playgrounds.

Sanghavi noted that athletes trained under Khel Mahakumbh had gone on to represent Gujarat and India at the Asian Games and other international events. He added that the state government was working towards hosting the Commonwealth Games and other international sporting events in the coming years.

With participation now exceeding 76 lakh, Gujarat's sporting infrastructure push is likely to intensify as the country moves closer to the 2036 Olympic Games bid.