The 5th Khelo India University Games (KIUG 2025) commenced on November 24, 2025, with a grand opening ceremony at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur, and will run through December 5, 2025. The event is being hosted across seven cities of Rajasthan — Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Kota, and Bharatpur — with Poornima University and University of Rajasthan as joint hosts. Union Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and Rajasthan Sports Minister Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore attended the inauguration. Over 7,000 athletes from nearly 200 universities across India will compete in 24 disciplines — 23 medal sports and one demonstration event (Kho-Kho). New disciplines introduced this year include canoeing, kayaking, cycling, and beach volleyball. The official mascots 'Khamma' and 'Ghani' — inspired by the state animal (camel) and the traditional Rajasthani greeting 'Khamma Ghani' — were unveiled at the iconic Amer Fort, Jaipur. The games reinforce Rajasthan's emergence as a major sports tourism destination and align with the government's 'Khelo India' initiative to develop grassroots sporting talent across Indian universities.
5th Khelo India University Games 2025 Inaugurated in Rajasthan across Seven Cities
The 5th Khelo India University Games (KIUG 2025) commenced on November 24, 2025, with a grand opening ceremony at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur, and will run through December 5, 2025. The event is being hosted across seven cities of Rajasthan — Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Kota, and Bharatpur — with Poornima University and University of Rajasthan as joint hosts. Union Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and Rajasthan Sports Minister Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore attended the inauguration. Over 7,000 athletes from nearly 200 universities across India will compete in 24 disciplines — 23 medal sports and one demonstration event (Kho-Kho). New disciplines introduced this year include canoeing, kayaking, cycling, and beach volleyball. The official mascots 'Khamma' and 'Ghani' — inspired by the state animal (camel) and the traditional Rajasthani greeting 'Khamma Ghani' — were unveiled at the iconic Amer Fort, Jaipur. The games reinforce Rajasthan's emergence as a major sports tourism destination and align with the government's 'Khelo India' initiative to develop grassroots sporting talent across Indian universities.
Key facts
- 5th KIUG 2025 commenced November 24 at Sawai Mansingh Stadium with grand opening ceremony.
- Over 7,000 athletes from nearly 200 universities compete across 24 sports in 7 cities.
- Rajasthan is hosting KIUG for the first time across Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, and four others.
- New sports include canoeing, kayaking, cycling, and beach volleyball.
- Mascots 'Khamma' and 'Ghani' were inspired by the camel and Rajasthani greeting.
- Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and CM Bhajanlal Sharma attended the inauguration.
PYQPrelims/PYQ angle
- RAS 2023 Verticals of the Khelo India Scheme — The PYQ directly tests knowledge of Khelo India, which this 5th KIUG 2025 event exemplifies and extends to a Rajasthan multi-city host format.
Mains angle
Q: Discuss the significance of Rajasthan hosting the 5th Khelo India University Games 2025 across seven cities for developing grassroots sports talent and positioning the state as a sports tourism destination.
Answer (50 words):
The 5th Khelo India University Games, inaugurated November 24, 2025 at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, ran through December 5 across seven cities — Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Kota, Bharatpur. A total of 4,448 athletes from 222 universities competed in 23 medal sports, with Kho-Kho as a demonstration event. Mascots 'Khamma' and 'Ghani' were unveiled at Amer Fort.
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How many cities in Rajasthan hosted the 5th Khelo India University Games 2025?
The 5th Khelo India University Games 2025 were hosted across seven cities of Rajasthan: Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Kota, and Bharatpur.
Source: PIB
Frequently asked questions
When and where was the 5th Khelo India University Games 2025 inaugurated?
The 5th Khelo India University Games (KIUG 2025) was inaugurated on November 24, 2025, at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur. The event ran through December 5, 2025, across seven cities of Rajasthan.
Which universities jointly hosted KIUG 2025 and how many athletes participated?
Poornima University and the University of Rajasthan jointly hosted KIUG 2025. Over 7,000 athletes from nearly 200 universities across India competed in 24 sports across seven cities.
What were the mascots of KIUG 2025 and what do they represent?
The mascots of KIUG 2025 were 'Khamma' and 'Ghani', inspired by the camel — a symbol of Rajasthan's desert heritage — and the traditional Rajasthani greeting 'Khamma Ghani', reflecting the state's culture and hospitality.
Which new sports were introduced at KIUG 2025?
Canoeing, kayaking, cycling, and beach volleyball were introduced as new sports at KIUG 2025, broadening the range of disciplines contested at the university-level multi-sport event.
Who attended the inauguration of KIUG 2025?
Union Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and Rajasthan Sports Minister Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore attended the inauguration. CM Bhajanlal Sharma was also present at the ceremony held at Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
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