FOCUS AREA · HERITAGE SPORTS & GAMES
Play is heritage too.
From kho-kho in a school yard to mallakhamb at a world expo, India’s traditional games carry centuries of knowledge about the body, community and joy. We help keep them alive — and share them with the world.
JB-174 · CHILDREN PLAYING KHO-KHO IN A VILLAGE COURTYARD
IN SHORT
Why does a cultural foundation work on sport?
Traditional games are living heritage. They hold regional knowledge, music, craft and community memory, and they teach fitness, fairness and teamwork. We treat them as we treat any living tradition — with their masters at the centre, and with a path into schools, universities, communities and the world’s great stages.
EIGHT INITIATIVES
From the school yard to the world stage.
JB-175 · KHEL PARAMPARA IN SCHOOLS
SCHOOL
Khel Parampara in Schools
Heritage games woven into physical education and NEP 2020 arts-integrated learning: kits, master trainers, inter-school festivals and teacher guides.
JB-176 · UNIVERSITY HERITAGE GAMES LEAGUE
UNIVERSITY
University Heritage Games League
Inter-university leagues in kho-kho, kabaddi, mallakhamb and martial arts, with research fellowships on the history and science of play.
JB-177 · HERITAGE GAMES MELAS
COMMUNITY
Heritage Games Melas
Weekend festivals in villages, towns and diaspora cities where elders teach, children play and craftspeople make the equipment.
JB-178 · GURU & AKHADA FELLOWSHIPS
MASTERS
Guru & Akhada Fellowships
Support for the masters, akhadas and kalaris who keep living traditions of movement alive, with documentation and paid teaching.
JB-179 · TOYS & BOARD-GAME HERITAGE
MAKERS
Toys & Board-Game Heritage
Craft clusters revive wooden toys, chaupar boards and kites, with designers and Makers’ Editions.
JB-180 · SHOWCASES AT GLOBAL EVENTS
MAJOR EVENTS
Showcases at Global Events
Demonstrations, play zones and exhibition matches at expos, festivals, Dharohar Dialogues and Saaj — first proposed for Expo 2027.
JB-181 · PLAY FOR ALL
INCLUSION
Play for All
Adapted versions for every age and ability, and dedicated leagues for women, girls and tribal communities.
JB-182 · HERITAGE GAMES ATLAS
KNOWLEDGE
Heritage Games Atlas
An open, citable record of India’s traditional games — rules, regions, masters and films — consent-led and free.
THE GAMES
Sixteen traditions we champion.
JB-183 · KABADDI IN PLAY
Kabaddi
A breath-held raid of strength and strategy, played in every village of India
JB-184 · KHO-KHO IN PLAY
Kho-kho
A chase game of speed and teamwork, older than the Mahabharata retellings that describe it
JB-185 · MALLAKHAMB IN PLAY
Mallakhamb
Gymnastics and yoga on a wooden pole or rope, from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh
JB-186 · KALARIPAYATTU IN PLAY
Kalaripayattu
The martial art of Kerala, joining combat, healing and movement
JB-187 · GATKA IN PLAY
Gatka
The Sikh martial art of stick and sword, performed with grace and discipline
JB-188 · THANG-TA IN PLAY
Thang-ta
The sword-and-spear art of Manipur
JB-189 · SILAMBAM IN PLAY
Silambam
The staff-fighting art of Tamil Nadu
JB-190 · LAGORI IN PLAY
Lagori
Seven stones, one ball — the street game of south India
JB-191 · GILLI-DANDA IN PLAY
Gilli-danda
The bat-and-stick game every Indian grandparent remembers
JB-192 · CHAUPAR & PACHISI IN PLAY
Chaupar & Pachisi
The board games of royal courts and courtyards
JB-193 · PALLANGUZHI IN PLAY
Pallanguzhi
The counting-seed board game of the south
JB-194 · YUBI LAKPI IN PLAY
Yubi lakpi
Manipur’s coconut rugby
JB-195 · PATANG IN PLAY
Patang
Kite-flying contests across Gujarat, Rajasthan and Punjab
JB-196 · VALLAM KALI IN PLAY
Vallam kali
The snake-boat races of Kerala
JB-197 · ATYA-PATYA IN PLAY
Atya-patya
A Maharashtrian tag game of lines and lanes
JB-198 · MOKSHA PATAM IN PLAY
Moksha patam
The ancient board game that became snakes and ladders
AT MAJOR EVENTS
First proposed for Expo 2027.
Our first heritage-games concept was proposed for Expo 2027 — a programme of demonstrations, play zones, inclusive leagues and exhibition matches showing India’s traditional games to the world. The same model now travels to festivals, Dharohar Dialogues and Saaj.
20
sports and games
30
teams
3
strands: show, learn, compete
QUESTIONS
Asked most often.
Which games does the Foundation promote?+
Traditional and indigenous Indian games and martial arts — among them kabaddi, kho-kho, mallakhamb, kalaripayattu, gatka, thang-ta, silambam, lagori, gilli-danda, chaupar, pallanguzhi and kite-flying — alongside the toys and boards that go with them.
Can schools take part?+
Yes. Khel Parampara in Schools supplies kits, trained instructors and teacher guides, and links schools to inter-school heritage games festivals.
How does this connect with government programmes?+
It is designed to complement public programmes for traditional games, physical education and arts-integrated learning. Any partnership is announced only once agreed in writing.
How can I propose a heritage games project?+
Send a brief through Start a conversation and choose “Heritage sports & games”. A facilitator will reply where there is a fit.
Keep the games alive.
Schools, universities, federations, states, CSR partners and masters — tell us what you would like to build together.