Khelo India University Games 2025 to Be Held in Rajasthan This November: Dr Mansukh Mandaviya

New Delhi, June 25 : Union Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday announced that the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) 2025 will be hosted in Jaipur, Rajasthan, this November, jointly organized by Poornima University and Rajasthan University.

This will mark the fifth edition of the KIUG, India’s premier multi-sport event for under-25 university athletes, which began in February 2020. The event is expected to draw over 4,000 athletes from more than 200 universities across the country, competing in at least 20 sports disciplines.

“I am extremely happy to announce that the Khelo India University Games will take place in Rajasthan in November 2025. These Games offer a tremendous opportunity for under-25 athletes to showcase their talent on a national platform,” Dr Mandaviya said. He emphasized the significance of such events for talent scouting and athlete development in India.

The announcement comes after the successful conclusion of KIUG 2024, which was co-hosted by seven northeastern states, and saw Chandigarh University emerging as the overall team champion. The 2024 Games featured 4,500 athletes and witnessed 770 medals being awarded—240 gold, 240 silver, and 290 bronze.

Dr Mandaviya noted that eight KIUG records in athletics were set during the 2024 Games, five of which were by male athletes. “Worldwide, university students dominate multi-sport events. We hope to see high-quality performances in Rajasthan as our athletes will be at their competitive best,” he added.

Swimmer Pratyasa Ray of Utkal University was the most successful female athlete at KIUG 2024, clinching four gold, one silver, and one bronze. On the men’s side, Xavier Michael Dsouza of Jain University claimed the top spot with four gold medals.

In the team rankings, Lovely Professional University secured the second position with 20 gold, 14 silver, and 8 bronze medals, while Guru Nanak Dev University from Amritsar finished third with 12 gold, 20 silver, and 19 bronze.

The upcoming KIUG 2025 in Rajasthan is expected to continue the momentum of nurturing young talent and strengthening India’s grassroots sports ecosystem.