Delhi Khel Mahakumbh set to begin on February 13
To make the national Capital a sporting hub of the country, it is all set to host month long ‘Delhi Khel Mahakumbh’ starting February 13.
Announcing this on Monday, Education and Sports Minister Ashish Sood described it as a historic initiative towards reviving sports culture in the national Capital. He also unveiled the official mascot Ranveer for the games.
In its initial phase, the Mahakumbh will feature seven sports-Kabaddi, Football, Athletics, Wrestling, Basketball, Volleyball, and Squash- with participation from over 20,000 athletes.
The month-long sporting event will be organised across 16 different stadiums and venues in Delhi, including Bawana, Vikaspuri, and Najafgarh, ensuring equal opportunities for youth from all regions of the Capital.
Announcing attractive prize money, the education minister stated that in team events, the Gold-winning team will receive Rs 1,75,000, Silver Rs 1,51,000, and Bronze Rs 1,31,000. In individual events, the gold medalist will receive Rs 11,000, Silver Rs 9,000, and Bronze Rs 7,000.
The education minister said that for several years, sports and youth activities in Delhi suffered neglect. On one hand, the previous Government failed to allocate adequate budgetary support for sports, and on the other, Delhi’s children were deprived of opportunities to participate at national and international levels.
The sports Budget stood at Rs 60 crore in 2021-22, which was reduced to Rs 41 crore in 2022-23, further slashed to Rs 26 crore in 2023-24, and remained stagnant at Rs 26 crore till 2024-25. The present Government has reversed this trend by tripling the allocation for Sports and Youth Affairs to Rs 76 crore in 2025-26. Taking a strong stand against the previous Government, Sood said during the Aam Aadmi Party’s tenure, serious negligence was witnessed in the sports and youth affairs sector.
Heavy budget cuts, financial mismanagement, and unnecessary confrontation with the Central Government severely hampered the holistic development of sports in Delhi. As a result, the construction of new playgrounds, major sports infrastructure projects, and the modernisation of existing facilities came to a virtual standstill. Budgetary reductions directly impacted the maintenance and expansion of sports complexes and facilities available to athletes.
Instead of investing in sports development, the previous Government allowed liabilities to remain pending for years. After the change in Government, these long-pending dues were cleared in 2025-26, exposing the absence of a long-term sports policy and financial discipline during the earlier regime.
The education minister further stated that the Kejriwal Government deliberately distanced itself from national youth and sports programmes. Delhi’s participation in Central Government initiatives remained minimal, depriving the city’s youth of national-level opportunities.
Several activities were conducted merely as formalities, often behind closed doors, defeating their very purpose. Despite repeated claims, no comprehensive, forward-looking sports policy for Delhi was implemented.
Sood also pointed out that the previous Government did not participate actively in major national sporting events. Instances such as the then Education Minister declining to attend the 66th National School Games as Chief Guest and exerting pressure on officials reflected an uncooperative attitude.
Similarly, Delhi’s participation in national initiatives like the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2025 remained extremely limited. Cash incentives due to Delhi’s athletes remained pending for nearly two years.
The Minister added that the new Government has launched several initiatives to promote sports, including financial assistance and improved facilities for athletes. Measures have also been taken to enhance player welfare, such as providing accommodation, travel facilities (including AC train tickets), and upgraded stadium infrastructure.
