Project on: KHO-KHO

Name: Anuj Upasani

Class: XII-P

Roll Number: 07

Subject: Physical Education

School: Lions English School

Year: 2024-25

Index
SR. NO. TOPIC PAGE NO.
 1 Introduction 2

2 History 4

3 Ground 10
Measurement
4 Terminology 12

5 Rules & 14
Regulations
6 Famous 24
Personalities
7 Tournaments 35

8 Awards 37

9 Bibliography 41

Introduction

1
Kho-Kho is a vibrant and dynamic
traditional sport from India that
highlights the values of teamwork,
agility, and strategic thinking. This
fastpaced game is typically played
by two teams, fostering a spirit of
cooperation and camaraderie among
participants. Kho-Kho is not only an
exciting competition but also a social
activity that brings communities
together, making it a beloved choice
in schools and local gatherings.
The sport promotes physical fitness,
encouraging players to develop their
speed, endurance, and coordination.
Beyond its physical benefits, kho-kho
teaches essential life skills such as
communication, quick
decisionmaking, and strategic
planning, all of which are valuable
both on and off the field.

2
Kho-Kho also holds significant
cultural importance, reflecting
India’s rich sporting heritage. It
serves as a platform for social
integration, welcoming players from
diverse backgrounds and age
groups. As khokho continues to
thrive, it inspires enthusiasm and
participation, celebrating the joy of
movement and collaboration in a
competitive yet friendly
environment. Through its unique
blend of athleticism and community
spirit, kho-kho remains a cherished
part of Indian culture, engaging
generations in the love of play.

History of KHO-KHO
Kho-Kho is one of the most popular
traditional sports in India, with its
3
origins tracing back to ancient times.
The sport is believed to have
developed in Maharashtra, India, and
has deep roots in Indian culture,
especially as it was originally played
in rural areas. The game's name
"Kho-Kho" is said to come from the
word "Kho," which means "to chase"
in Marathi, highlighting the core
element of the game: running and
chasing.

Ancient Origins
Kho-Kho's origins can be linked to
ancient India, with evidence
suggesting that similar games
were played as far back as
4000 years ago. Some historians
believe that Kho-Kho evolved from
a form of chase and tag games
played by warriors during free time
or as part of military training. These
games were used to develop quick
4
reflexes, stamina, and team
coordination, which are essential
qualities for any warrior.

Early Development
The structured version of Kho-Kho
that we see today began to take
shape in Maharashtra during the
early 20th century.
It was during this time that schools
and local clubs began to formalize
the rules of the game. In 1914,
Deccan Gymkhana of Pune played a
key role in giving Kho-Kho a defined
structure and popularizing it among
youth and local communities.
However, it remained primarily
a regional game until the mid-
20th century.

5
National Recognition
In 1959, the first All India Kho-Kho
Championship was held, marking a
major step in giving Kho-Kho
national recognition.
This championship played a crucial
role in uniting players from different
states and standardizing the rules.
Kho-Kho was further promoted by
the Kho-Kho Federation of India,
which was established in 1955 to
organize and oversee the sport at
various levels, from local to
national tournaments.
Expansion Across India
In the years following independence,
Kho-Kho gained immense popularity,
particularly in the states of
Maharashtra,
Karnataka, Gujarat, and Madhya
Pradesh. The sport's simplicity,
combined with its fast pace, made it
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a favorite among youngsters. It
became a common feature in school-
level sports, with annual Kho-Kho
competitions being held across the
country. By the 1970s, the sport had
gained significant traction, leading to
the formation of regional leagues
and national tournaments.

International Attention
Although primarily an Indian sport,
Kho-Kho has seen international
attention in recent decades. The
Asian Kho-Kho Federation was
established in 1987, marking a new
era for the sport. Kho-Kho has been
played in several countries,
including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri
Lanka, and Nepal. The sport gained
further international recognition
when it was featured in the South
Asian Games, and it continues to

7
grow in popularity in other parts of
Asia.

Present Day
Today, Kho-Kho is recognized as one
of India’s key traditional sports. The
sport is included in major sports
events in India, including the
National Games and various school-
level championships. Several states
continue to promote Kho-Kho
through organized leagues, and the
sport has been part of multiple
editions of the Khelo India Youth
Games.

Conclusion
The history of Kho-Kho is deeply
intertwined with India’s culture and
traditions. From its roots as a rural
game to its status as a national
and international sport, Kho-Kho

8
has evolved while maintaining its
core values of teamwork, speed,
and strategy. The game continues
to inspire new generations of
athletes and remains a cherished
part of India’s sporting heritage.

9
Ground Measurement
The field is 27 by 16 metres (89 by
52 ft), with a distance of 24 metres
(79 ft) between the two poles, and
the central lane having a width of 30
centimetres (12 in). Each of the
cross lanes (which pass through the
sitting areas that the chasers sit in,
and go from one side of the court to
the other) has a width of 35
centimetres (14 in), with adjacent
cross lanes 2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in)
apart, and a
separation of 2.55 metres (8 ft 4 in)
between each pole and its adjacent
cross lane. Each pole is 120 to 125
centimetres (47 to 49 in) high and 9
to 10 centimetres (3.5 to 3.9 in) in
diameter. The poles are smooth and
round, with no sharp edges. There
are
 10

1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)-long extensions of

the court behind each of the poles
known as "free zones", in which
there are no restrictions on chasers'
movements.

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 11

Terminology
Runners, Free zone, Cross lane,
Chase, Active chaser, Chasers'
blocks, Tapping, Trapping.
The brief explanation of some of the
terms is given below:
Chasers: The players, who sit in the
Chasers' blocks are called chasers.
Runners: The runners are those
players who are chased by an active
chaser. He wants to touch or tap
them.
Active Chaser: Active chaser is
that player who persuades the
runners to put them out.
Chasers' blocks: The place for the
chasers to sit down.

13
Fake Kho: Pretending to give a Kho
but actually he does not do so.
Extra Period: Any period played
after the end of a regulation game in
order to break a tie is called extra
period.
Feet Out: If both feet of the
runner touch the ground beyond
side lines, the player is given out.
Inning: The nine minutes duration
of the game that may be chasing or
running is known as an inning.
Free Zone: This is an area where
both the runner and chaser can
move in any direction.

Rules & Regulations

1. Team Composition:

14
 • Number of Players: Each team
consists of 12 players, but only 9
players take the field during a
match.
• Chasers & Runners: One team
starts as the chasers, while the
other team takes the role of
runners.
2. The Field:
• Dimensions: The Kho-Kho field is
a rectangular court of 27 meters
long and 16 meters wide.
• Central Lane: A central lane
runs through the middle of the
court, dividing it into two halves.
The chasers sit in a row along this
lane, facing alternate directions.
• Posts: There are two poles
(posts) at each end of the central
lane,
which players use to change
direction while chasing.

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3. Objective:
• The chasers must catch the
runners within a fixed time, while
the runners try to avoid being
caught and tagged.
4. Time Format:
• Innings: The game consists of
two innings for each team (one as
chasers, one as runners).
• Duration: Each inning lasts 9
minutes, with a break between
innings. Therefore, a match
usually lasts around 36 minutes.
• Chase Time: The team chasing
must try to catch all runners
within 9 minutes.

5. Rules for Chasers:

• Chasing Position: At the start of
the match, the chasers sit in a

16
 line in the central lane, facing
alternate directions.
• Kho: The active chaser can pass
on the responsibility of chasing to
a seated teammate by tapping
them on the back and saying
"Kho."
• No Cross-Lane Movement: The
chasers can only move in the
direction they are facing, but they
are allowed to run along the
central lane. They cannot cross
over to the other side of the
central lane unless they touch a
post to change direction.
• Post-Turning: A chaser can use
the posts at the end of the central
lane to turn and change their
direction.

6. Rules for Runners:

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 • Entry into the Field: The
runners enter the field in batches
of three.
• Avoiding the Chase: The
runners can move around the
entire field but cannot leave the
boundary lines. They must avoid
being tagged by the chasers.
• Elimination: A runner is declared
out if they are touched or tagged
by a chaser.
7. Fouls and Violations:
• Early Kho: If a chaser gives a
"Kho" before reaching the sitting
chaser or without proper
positioning, it’s considered a foul.
• Crossing the Central Line: A
chaser cannot cross the central
lane or go over to the other side
without turning around a post.

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 • Obstruction by Runners:
Runners cannot obstruct or block
the chasers deliberately.
8. Scoring:
• Chasers' Points: Each runner
tagged gives the chasing team
one point.
• Winning the Game: The team
with the most points at the end of
the game wins. If both teams
have the same score, the team
that took less time to dismiss all
runners wins.
9. Officials:
• Referee: Oversees the game and
ensures rules are followed.
• Umpires: Two umpires assist the
referee by monitoring both teams.
• Timekeeper & Scorer: A
timekeeper ensures accurate
timing, and a scorer records
points.

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10. Substitutions:
• Substitutions can be made during
the game, but only from the
players listed on the team’s
roster. Injured players can be
replaced, but no player is allowed
to re-enter the match once
substituted.

Fundamental Skills
1. Chasing Skills:
(a) Giving Kho

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(b) Taking Direction
(c) Sudden Change
(d) Tapping
(e) Turning Round the Post
(f) Trapping
(g) Diving
(h) Fake Kho
(i) Late Kho

2. Running Skills
(a) Position on the court
(b) Running
(c) Avoiding trapping
(d) Positioning near the post

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(e) Dodging
(i) Front dodge
(ii) Back dodge
(iii) Round the post dodge
The brief explanation of some of the
fundamental skills is given below:
1. Giving Kho: A chaser must say
the word 'Kho' when he is touching
the sitting chaser. It is a foul if he
does not say this word.

2. Taking direction: After receiving

the Kho, a chaser should take his
first step out of the cross lane with
care because that step will decide
his direction of move.
3. Fake Kho: In such Kho, the
chaser pretends to give Kho but
actually he follows the runner.

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4. Tapping: Tapping is touching an
active runner by extending an arm.
Tapping should be done when the
runner is on the post while tapping
the body should lean forward and
arm should be extended completely.
5. Trapping. For trapping, the active
chaser should try to bring two or
three runners to one side or towards
the post. This situation is called
trapping.
6. Diving: In this technique, a
chaser pounces on an active runner
to touch him spontaneously. It
requires a lot of courage and
practice for being an expert diver.

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Famous Personalities

Aniket Bhagwan Pote

Aniket is a 26-year-old player who
hails from Mumbai, Maharashtra.
He is an
All-Rounder who specialises in
Defending. He can be a force to
reckon with for the Gujarat Giants
side.
He started playing the game in
2006. He still remembers playing
the Senior
National final in 2018. He has
played for the Maharashtra Kho Kho

24
side and has been the Gold and the
Silver Medalist with them.

Amit Vasant Patil

Amit is an All-Rounder who hails
from Railways.

Akshay Sandeep Bhangare

Akshay is a 26-year-old player who
hails from Mumbai. He will be seen

25
donning the Gujarat Giants jersey
for the maiden Ultimate Kho Kho
season.
He started playing Kho Kho when he
was in 5th grade. He still cherishes
the game when his team won the
game
against Railways. He has
represented
Maharashtra in National
competitions at the Senior and
Junior level. He has not only been
the captain of the
Maharashtra Senior team but has
also led the Indian Kho Kho team
during the Test Series.
He has his parents and a brother in
his family. He feels that compared to
other sports Kho Kho is a super
game which requires one to have
more

26
speed and stamina. He wants to be
the best Defender in this sport.

Dipesh Vijay More

Dipesh is a 27-year-old player who
hails from Mumbai, Maharashtra. He
is an All Rounder who was picked in
the players draft by Odisha
Juggernauts.
He has been playing Kho Kho since
2005.
He has represented Railways. Apart
from Eklavya Award he has also
won Veer Abhimanyu Award in

27
 2012 and Shiv Chhatrapati Award in
2016-17.
His father is a former senior clerk.
Kho
Kho is his first choice as a sport. He
has been playing it since his school
days and he loves it from a young
age.

Majahar Kalandar Jamadar

Majahar is a talented Attacker who
was born in Ichalkaranji, Kolhapur,
Maharashtra.
He has played for Jayhind Mandal,
Ichalkaranji. He has won 5 Gold
Medals in Senior National.

28
He comes from a middle class
family.
In his opinion, it is a team sport
which has a large game
spirit, discipline and strong mental
power.

Pratik Kiran Waikar

Pratik is a 30-year-old Kho Kho
player who hails from Maharashtra.
He joined the Telugu Yoddhas unit as
an All Rounder.
He is an experienced campaigner
who started playing Kho Kho when
he was just 9 years old. He has

29
played for the Maharashtra state
team.
His achievements range from
winning
Gold in 12th SAF Games, the
Eklavya
Award in 2019, Gold in
India vs England series held in
London, 8 Medals at Senior
National which includes 2 Gold
and
6 Silver, 6 Gold medals in
Federation
Cup National, Gold in Junior National
and 2 Bronze Medals in Sub-Junior
National. He is the only player
from
Maharashtra who led the team in all
the three age groups (i.e U14, U18,
Senior). He also received the Best
Player award in the

30
Federation Cup National 3 times in
a row and the Chhatrapati
Sambhaji
Raje award in Maharashtra in 2021.
In his opinion,
Kho Kho is an attractive sport and
he loves the game very much. He
wants
to add another feather in his cap.

Adarsh Dattatray Mohite

Adarsh is a 21-year-old player who
hails from Kolhapur, Maharashtra.
He was picked by the

31
Telugu Yoddhas and he plays for
them as an Attacker.
At the age of 17, he started playing
the sport. He has been an active
player of the Kolhapur Kho Kho
team. He has a long list of
achievements which consists of a
Gold Medal in 1st and 3rd Khelo
India Games. He has also won a
Silver
Medal at Junior National level. He
has been a Bronze
Medalist twice for the Senior
National team. He has also won
Bronze and
Silver medal at the
School level. He says that it is a
very exciting sport
and he fell in love when he saw it
for the first time.

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 Pritam Ankush Chougule
Pritam is a Defender who hails
from
Kolhapur. He was picked by Chennai
Quick Guns in the players draft.

Avinash Shivaji Desai

Avinash is a 22-year-old player who
was born and raised in Kolhapur,

33
 Maharashtra. He is an All-
Rounder who Odisha Juggernauts
bought from the players draft.
He has played for the Maharashtra
Kho Kho
team. He has been a key player in
the state Kho Kho setup.

Sourabh Shivaji Adavkar

Adavkar is a 21-year-old Attacker
who hails from Sankeshwar,
Belgavi, Karnataka. He was
picked by

34
Rajasthan Warriors in the players
draft. He started playing Kho Kho
when he was 13 years old. He has
represented
Saraswati Sports Ichalkaranji in
Kho
Kho. He is a Bronze Medalist in
Senior
National. He has also won a Silver
Medal in Junior National. He chose
Kho Kho over other sports because
he feels that the sport has discipline
and great game spirit. He also
wants to win the Gold Medal.
Tournaments
Kho Kho World Cup
The Kho Kho World Cup is an
international kho kho tournament. It
is sanctioned by the Kho Kho

35
Federation of India and International
Kho Kho Federation.
Ultimate Kho Kho
Ultimate Kho Kho (UKK)
is
an Indian
franchise
based kho-kho league started in
2022. It is hosted by the Kho Kho
Federation of India. The inaugural
season had a viewership of 64
million,
41 million of which came from
India, making UKK the third-most
viewed non-cricket sport
tournament in India after the Pro
Kabaddi
League and the Indian Super League.
Some other tournaments
• Nehru Gold Cup
• National Kho-Kho Championship

36
 • Inter University Cup

Awards
Kho Kho players receive different
awards for their dedication towards
the game and their outstanding
performance throughout their career.
Some of these awards are as follows:

37
Janaki Award
The Janaki Award is given to girl
players under 18 as a testimony to
their outstanding performance in the
game.
Veer Abhimanyu Award
Kho Kho boy players under the age
of 18 are given the Veer Abhimanyu
award for their extraordinary
performance in this traditional game.

Arjuna
Award
The Ministry
of Youth
Affairs and
Sports
(Government
of India) recognise players and
award them with the Arjuna Award

38
for their outstanding achievement in
Kho Kho national sports. The award
also includes Rs. 500,000 with a
scroll and a bronze statue of Arjuna.
Eklavya Award for men

The Government of Karnataka

awards this medal to the man who
performs with enthusiasm and
passion. Adarsha C P received the
Eklavya award for his dedication
towards Kho Kho in the year 2008.
Rani Laxmi Bai award for women

The award includes prize money of

100,000 for exceptional performance
by women in Kho Kho game.
Dronacharya Award
The award is for coaches who show
excellent performance in teaching
the tactics of the game to the

39
players. The Dronacharya Kho Kho
game award
includes a cash prize of Rs. 7,00,000,
a scroll of honour and a bronze
statue of Dronacharya. Gopal
Purushottam Phadke received the
award in the year 2000 for his
excellent service.

Chhatrapat Shivaji Kho Kho

Awards
The Chhatrapati Shivaji award
includes the trophy and a Rs. 25000
cash with a blazer and a citation.
The state government of
Maharashtra gives this award.

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Bibliography
https://www.ultimatekhokho.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kho_kh
o https://khokhoskills.com/kho-
khotournaments/