Facts About Kho-Kho: Let’s check about the facts of Kho-Kho, an indigenous Indian game ahead of the 4th Asian Kho-kho Championship 2023 that’ll be held in Tamulpur of Bodoland, Assam, from 20 March to 23 March 2023.
Facts About Kho-Kho
- A Kho-Kho team consists of 12 players, but only 9 players from each team take the field during a match.
- Kho-kho is played in 4 innings of 9 minutes each.
- The Kho-Kho playground is 29 metres long and 16 metres wide, with a vertical wooden post at either end of the field.
- Kho-Kho requires speed and agility and is considered one of the strongest tag-team sports.
Officials in Kho-Kho
To ensure fair play, every game needs impartial officials. Let’s take a look at some of the on-ground officials in Kho-Kho.
- Referee
Every kho kho match takes place under the jurisdiction of a referee, who makes sure rules are followed, the game is fair, and can penalize any foul play. - Umpire
Every official game of Kho-kho requires two umpires. Each time a runner is touched, they declare it. - Timekeeper
The timekeeper declares the end of each quarter, which typically lasts 9 minutes. - Scorer
The scorer keeps track of the scores of each team.
Did You Know
Although kho-kho has been played in India since immemorial, it has rules formally drafted by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak in Pune, Maharashtra.
- Did you know that legendary freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak is considered the founder of modern-day kho-kho?
- At the Deccan Gymkhana club in Pune, Maharashtra, Bal Gangadhar and Bhai Narorkar Tilak drafted the first ever set of rules for kho-kho. The rules and regulations they set determined the area of a classic kho-kho playground for the first time.
Kho-Kho on the International Stage
- In 1936, Kho-Kho was played as a special performance at the Berlin Olympics (as were Kabaddi and Mallakhamb).
- The sport was also staged in Sweden and Denmark in 1949.
- Kho-Kho made its first international appearance in 1996 at the 1st Asian Kho-Kho Championship in Kolkata.
Asian Kho Kho Championship 2023
- 1st Asian Kho-kho championship was in 1996 at Calcutta, West Bengal, India
- 2nd Asian Kho-kho championship was in 2000 in Dhaka, Bangladesh
- 3rd Asian Kho-kho championship was in 2016 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
- 4th Asian Kho-kho championship will be held in 2023 in Tamulpur, Baksa, BTR, Assam, India
For the upcoming kho-kho game, explore the 4th Asian Kho Kho Championship 2023.
Note: The data are taken from the Govt of BTR FB page.