Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The 40th Junior Kho Kho National Championship 2021 started in Bhubaneswar, announced by Lok Sabha Member and Founder of KIIT & KISS Achyuta Samanta who highlighted the commitment of Odisha to promote the development of a rich sports culture in the state.
According to the reports, over 600 players from 53 participating teams from states and union territories are participating in this championship. The teams have been divided into eight groups each for both boys and girls. The competition will be held first in the group stages before the action moves to the knock-out rounds to decide the winners.
Host Odisha is drawn in Group D in the boys’ category, along with Karnataka, Bihar, MP and Meghalaya, while in the girls’ category, Odisha are placed in group E, along with Andhra Pradesh, Manipur and Jammu & Kashmir. Among others, President Odisha Kho Kho Association, Narayan Patra and Secretary Odisha Kho Kho Association, Pradyumna Mishra also spoke on the occasion.
The national championship will also serve as the qualifier for the 4th Khelo India Youth Games to be held in Panchkula (Haryana) next year. The 40th edition of the national championship is hosted by the Odisha Kho Kho Association, with support from the Sports and Youth Services Department, Government of Odisha, and KIIT (deemed University) under the aegis of the Kho Kho Federation of India.
Achyuta Samanta stated that Kho Kho is a game that is close to his heart and he congratulated the Government of Odisha, Kho Kho Federation of India, and Odisha Kho Kho Association for taking the initiative to host the Junior National Championship.
