Gadkari Announces Khasdar Krida Mahotsav 2026 in Nagpur
Synopsis
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced the Khasdar Krida Mahotsav 2026 in Nagpur, scheduled from 31 May to 7 June. The 8-day festival will see 23,800 athletes compete in 18 sports across 20 city grounds, with a prize pool of Rs 57,63,000 in cash, 6,700 medals, and 571 trophies.
Key Takeaways
Khasdar Krida Mahotsav 2026 will be held in Nagpur from 31 May to 7 June 2026 .
23,800 athletes will compete across 20 grounds in 18 disciplines and 5,450 matches .
The festival opens with a marathon and includes kabaddi, wrestling, yoga, gymnastics, chess, and more.
Prize structure includes 571 trophies , 6,700 medals , and a cash prize pool of Rs 57,63,000 .
Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol , president of the Maharashtra Olympic Association , was present at the announcement.
Matches will be held primarily in evening and night sessions to maximise youth participation.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday, 28 May 2026 announced the Khasdar (Sansad) Krida Mahotsav 2026, an annual multi-sport festival to be held in Nagpur from 31 May to 7 June 2026. The announcement was made at a press conference in Nagpur, where the festival trophy was also unveiled.
Context
Gadkari's post, captioned 'Chak De! Khelo Nagpur Khelo' ('Go for it! Play Nagpur, play'), declared the eighth edition of the festival open for participation. The Khasdar Krida Mahotsav Samiti organised the press conference at which the announcement was formalised and the trophy for the 2026 edition was revealed to the public.
Among those present at the press conference were Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol, who also serves as president of the Maharashtra Olympic Association, along with Ramdas Tadas MP, Dayashankar Tiwari, and Sandip Joshi, as well as officials of the Maharashtra Olympic Association and the festival committee.
Policy Backdrop
The Khasdar Krida Mahotsav is an annual grassroots sports festival initiated by Gadkari in his capacity as Nagpur's Member of Parliament, with the stated objective of developing a sports culture in the city. The festival sits within a broader national push to improve physical fitness among youth and to identify sporting talent beyond elite academies.
The involvement of the Maharashtra Olympic Association lends institutional weight to the event, connecting it to the state's formal sports governance structure. Such MP-led multi-sport festivals have become a visible model for constituency-level sports promotion across India.
Scale and Sports
The 2026 edition will span 8 days, with 23,800 athletes from Nagpur competing across 20 grounds in the city, primarily in evening and night sessions. A total of 5,450 matches will be played across 18 disciplines.
The festival will open with a marathon and will feature wrestling, kho-kho, badminton, athletics, kabaddi, basketball, chess, carrom, volleyball, yoga, gymnastics, skating, table tennis, and softball, among other sports. Winners and participants will share 571 trophies, 6,700 medals, and a total prize pool of Rs 57,63,000.
Stakeholders and Impact
The festival directly targets young athletes in Nagpur, offering them a competitive platform that most neighbourhood-level players would otherwise lack access to. By distributing competition across 20 city grounds and scheduling matches at night, the organisers aim to maximise participation from working-class and school-going youth.
The scale of the prize structure — nearly Rs 58 lakh in cash awards alongside medals and trophies — signals a serious attempt to incentivise competitive participation rather than treat the event as purely ceremonial. Local sports bodies, coaches, and the Maharashtra Olympic Association are all institutional stakeholders in the festival's execution.
What's Next
With the festival set to open on 31 May 2026, attention will now shift to the inaugural marathon and the logistics of running simultaneous competitions across 20 venues. Any announcements on sports infrastructure upgrades tied to the festival — a recurring ask from Nagpur's sports community — will be closely watched in the coming days.
Point of View
Using the MP's office as an organising anchor rather than waiting for state or central government machinery. The presence of the Maharashtra Olympic Association president signals an attempt to embed the grassroots festival within formal sports governance, which could ease future funding and talent-scouting pipelines. At a political level, the festival reinforces Gadkari's long-cultivated identity as a development-oriented representative with deep roots in Nagpur's civic life. The scale — nearly 24,000 athletes, 20 venues, Rs 58 lakh in prizes — positions this as a model other MPs may feel pressure to replicate ahead of the next election cycle.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Khasdar Krida Mahotsav 2026?
Khasdar Krida Mahotsav 2026 is an annual multi-sport festival organised in Nagpur by MP Nitin Gadkari's committee, scheduled from 31 May to 7 June 2026, featuring 18 sports across 20 city grounds for 23,800 athletes.
When and where is Khasdar Krida Mahotsav 2026?
The festival runs from 31 May to 7 June 2026 in Nagpur, Maharashtra, with competitions held across 20 grounds primarily in evening and night sessions.
What sports are included in Khasdar Krida Mahotsav 2026?
The 2026 edition includes wrestling, kho-kho, badminton, athletics, kabaddi, basketball, chess, carrom, volleyball, yoga, gymnastics, skating, table tennis, softball, and a marathon, among others — 18 disciplines in total.
What prizes are given at Khasdar Krida Mahotsav?
The 2026 edition will award 571 trophies, 6,700 medals, and a total cash prize of Rs 57,63,000 to participating athletes.
Who organises Khasdar Krida Mahotsav?
The Khasdar Krida Mahotsav Samiti organises the festival under the initiative of Nagpur MP Nitin Gadkari, with support from the Maharashtra Olympic Association.
