Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav said that the grand launch of the Khelo MP Youth Games was on par with an Olympic-style opening ceremony. He remarked that when the beginning is so impressive, the outcome is bound to be equally rewarding. The state government is working continuously for the upgradation of sports, sportspersons, and sports infrastructure, and is committed to providing facilities not in lakhs, but running into crores of rupees for athletes.
Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav inaugurated the Khelo MP Youth Games at the Boat Club in Bhopal. He said the venue reflected the grandeur of a global sporting event and congratulated the organisers, the Sports and Youth Welfare Minister and the department. He added that work done with heartfelt dedication naturally radiates excellence. The Games were launched with water projection, a laser show, grand fireworks, and performances by Shefali Alvares and Divya Kumar.
The Chief Minister said the event was especially commendable due to the visible large-scale public participation, which would motivate and encourage athletes. He assured that the state government would leave no stone unturned in boosting players’ morale. He also praised the slogan of the Khelo MP Youth Games, “Madhya Pradesh Ki Jai – Sabki Vijay”. With joint coordination of sports associations, the grand inauguration of Madhya Pradesh’s largest sports conclave was held in the City of Lakes, Bhopal, where the splendour of the city’s lakes was vividly showcased during the ceremony.
The Chief Minister said that under the leadership of Narendra Modi, India is making rapid progress in all sports, and Madhya Pradesh is advancing in step with this national momentum. He highlighted innovations such as the inclusion of traditional games like Pittu in the Khelo MP Youth Games. To nurture rural talent, competitions have been organised at the block, district, division, and state levels. Participation of around 1.5 lakh athletes is expected. He urged all players to perform every task with dedication, assuring that sincere effort always yields positive results.
Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Vishvas Kailash Sarang said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, athletes across the country are being provided world-class facilities, and under the sports-loving leadership of Chief Minister Dr. Yadav, sports in Madhya Pradesh are witnessing continuous advancement. On the occasion, the logo, theme song, T-shirt, and mascot of the Khelo MP Youth Games were launched. The competitions will continue till January 31, and outstanding performers will be given priority in future state team selections.
At the state level, prize money of approximately ₹4 crore will be awarded to winning athletes. The first prize will be ₹31,000, the second ₹21,000, and the third ₹11,000. The selection process will begin at the block level. A total of 28 sports competitions will be organised in the Khelo MP Youth Games–2025. To ensure better coordination with sports associations, the Sports Department has appointed coordination officers. A large number of sports enthusiasts were invited to the inaugural ceremony, and representatives of national sports federations attended as special guests. Notably, it has been decided that sports with traditional popularity in specific regions will be organised in those respective regions.
During the event, Madhya Pradesh players Sunita Sarathe, Durga Yewale and Sushma Patel of the world champion Indian women’s visually impaired cricket team that won the Blind Women’s T20 World Cup 2025 were awarded an incentive of ₹25 lakh each. Of this amount, ₹10 lakh was given in cash and ₹15 lakh as a fixed deposit. The women players’ coaches were also given an incentive of ₹1 lakh each.
Among the main attractions of the ceremony, spectators were deeply moved by water projections featuring images of the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister. The illuminated boats lined up on the Upper Lake captivated the audience. The programme began with a collective folk dance by local artists. Prominent dignitaries present included Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah, Minister of State Pratima Bagri, Mayor Malti Rai, MLAs Rameshwar Sharma and Bhagwandas Sabnani, Chief Secretary Anurag Jain, Director General of Police Kailash Makwana, Hitanand Sharma, and Sports Director Rakesh Kumar Gupta.
Participation from 313 Development Blocks
State-level competitions are proposed to be held in Indore, Ujjain, Jabalpur, Rewa, Shivpuri, Gwalior, Sagar, and Narmadapuram, in addition to Bhopal. Under the selection process starting from the block level, all 313 development blocks of the state will participate at the district level. At the state level, teams from the state’s ten divisions—Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Ujjain, Sagar, Rewa, Chambal, Narmadapuram, and Shahdol—will compete.
Competitions in Three and Four Phases
Eleven sports will be conducted in three phases, block, district, and state levels, including hockey, boxing, athletics, kho-kho, swimming, table tennis, mallakhamb, wrestling, judo, chess, and weightlifting.
Ten sports will be organised in four phases,block, district, division and state levels, including football, volleyball, cricket, badminton, pittu, basketball, tennis, yogasana, tug of war, and kabaddi.
Competitions in archery, taekwondo, kayaking-canoeing, rowing, fencing, shooting, and throwball will be held directly at the state level.