| Headquarters | Vasant Kunj, Delhi, India |
|---|---|
| Region served | India |
| Official language | English |
| Parent organisation | Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) Division, Ministry of Education, India |
| Website | bharatiyakhel |
Bharatiya Khel (Hindi: भारतीय खेल, transl. Indian Games) is an initiative of the Indian government under the National Education Policy (NEP) and Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) policies to introduce 75 traditional Indian games into schools across the country. Interschool competitions are held, with one seasonal game selected each month, and the best-performing schools and teachers earning certificates of recognition.
Part of the reason behind the initiative is to make sport more affordable and equitable for children across India (especially those who are poor and/or rural), as traditional Indian games require minimal resources and infrastructure. These games are also meant to encourage teamwork and creativity, as the 2020 NEP has dictated that "multi-faceted growth" and "fun-filled learning" should be given priority, and give children a more traditional Indian education.
A variety of games from across India have been chosen for this initiative, most of which have been played with slight variations across the country for thousands of years, and some of which have even featured in ancient scriptures such as the Mahabharata. Along with physical sports, some traditional board games have also been included.
Reception
In the first two years of the initiative, only 1,500 schools have participated. Negative feedback includes the issue that there is a lack of financial incentive and that rural schools don't always have the means to upload videos and participate in competitions held in an online format.
References
- "Edu ministry forms plan to bring in 'Bharatiya Games' in schools". Hindustan Times. 31 December 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ "'Gilli danda' among 75 'Bharatiya sports' set to be introduced in schools". Hindustan Times. 30 July 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ "Bhartiya Sports initiative: Gilli danda, langdi, other indigenous games to be pushed in schools". Zee News. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- Chakrabarty, Sreeparna (16 September 2023). "To heaven and back at the roll of a dice". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ "Posham Pa, Gilli Danda Among 75 'Bhartiya Games' to be Introduced in Schools". News18. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- Sharma, Kritika (29 July 2022). "NEP's next phase: Encouraging students to work on start-ups, push for 'Bharatiya Games'". ThePrint. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- "Bharatiya Games initiative to popularise traditional Indian sports ecosystem in schools". The Times of India. 20 January 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- Iftikhar, Fareeha (30 October 2024). "Why Centre's 'Bharatiya Khel' initiative for Indian sports in schools is seeing little uptake". ThePrint. Retrieved 24 November 2024.