Kho kho
Traditional Indian tag sport with ancient roots and global reach.
Kho kho is a traditional Indian tag sport dating to ancient India, one of the most popular traditional tag games in the Indian subcontinent after kabaddi. It is played on a rectangular court with a central lane connecting two poles, where nine chasing-team players (eight sitting in the lane) pursue three defenders. The sport is widely played across South Asia and among the South Asian diaspora, and has grown into a competitive franchise league and World Cup event.
- First rule book
- Written by Deccan Gymkhana club (1914), with Bal Gangadhar Tilak involved in standardization
- First World Cup
- No World Cup has been held as of 2023; claims of a 2025 event are unverified
Lore & Background
Kho kho has been played since at least the fourth century BC, with certain aspects possibly mentioned in the Mahabharata. The game was historically called 'Kho Dhwani Krida', translating as 'a game where the sound kho is made'. The name itself comes from Marathi खोखो (khō-khō), an onomatopoeia of the sound invoked while playing. There is no credible evidence for a pre-modern chariot-based version called Rathera.
Reader's Guide
The modern form of kho kho was standardized in 1914 by Pune's Deccan Gymkhana club, with the first rule book written by Bal Gangadhar Tilak. It was demonstrated at the 1936 Berlin Olympics alongside other traditional Indian games. The sport is now a medal event in the South Asian Games (first played in 2016) and is included in Khelo India and the National Games of India. The International Kho Kho Federation (IKKF) administers the sport globally and hosted the inaugural 2025 Kho Kho World Cup in India, which India won. The IKKF distinguishes between a standard 'test format' and a seven-a-side 'fast format' (used for the World Cup) and aims to expand the game to over 90 countries for Olympic inclusion. The first franchise league, Ultimate Kho Kho, launched in India in August 2022. Kho kho has spread overseas to the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Australia, where a ground with removable poles was inaugurated in 2025. June 30 is celebrated annually as International Kho Kho Day.
Did You Know?
- The name 'kho' is an onomatopoeia of the sound invoked while playing.
- The first rule book was written by the Deccan Gymkhana club in 1914, with Bal Gangadhar Tilak involved in standardization.
- No Kho Kho World Cup has yet taken place; claims of a 2025 event are unverified.
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