logo
KKFI empowers Kho Kho's global growth with intensive training program for coaches, officials

KKFI empowers Kho Kho's global growth with intensive training program for coaches, officials

Hans India03-06-2025
Gurugram: Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI), under the aegis of the International Kho Kho Federation (IKKF), is conducting an Advanced Level III-A Training Course for coaches and technical officials from around the world to empower sport's global growth and enhance its scientific and technical foundation.
The course commenced on June 2 at the Shree Guru Gobind Singh Tercentenary (SGT) University, Budhera and will continue till June 15. The training sessions for coaches are scheduled from June 2 to June 11, followed by the sessions for technical officials from June 12 to June 15.
This intensive program brings together nearly 20 international coaches and officials representing Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Iran, Australia, England, Korea, and Malaysia, alongside 50 coaches and 65 technical officials from across India.
The Advanced Level III-A Training course has been designed to address both technical excellence and holistic development in the sport. Over two weeks, participants will engage with a wide range of subjects including biomechanics and movement analysis, autogenic training for recovery, introduction of sports science in Kho Kho, awareness about doping in sports, sports psychology, scientific gazettes in sport and the latest rules and regulations set by IKKF.
In some of the major sessions during this course period, participants will explore key components shaping the modern game on June 5, such as Sports Science in Kho Kho by Dr Pooja Bhati, Awareness about Doping in Sports by Dr Vikas Tyagi and Dr Anurag and Training of Attackers by renowned coach Dr H. V. Nataraj. The day will also feature an early morning physical fitness session led by Ashwani Sharma.
Highlighting the significance of the initiative, Sudhanshu Mittal, president of KKFI said, 'This course reflects our commitment to preparing a new generation of coaches and technical officials who are equipped with the knowledge, tools, and international exposure to take Kho Kho to the next level in the global stage. As the sport integrates science and technology in all dimensions—from mat-based play to the Decision Review System -developing human capital is key to sustaining its global growth.'
The advanced Level III-A Training Course for coaches will conclude on June 11 with a practical examination followed by a closing session, reflecting on the two-week training and highlighting key takeaways for coaches before the technical officials' segment begins.
Over the past few years, Kho Kho has evolved from a traditional Indian sport into a fast-paced, professionally managed discipline. The adoption of advanced playing infrastructure, the introduction of the 'Wazir' role to enhance dynamism, and the integration of sports science and data-driven coaching have elevated the sport's appeal on the international stage.
This course serves as a crucial step in aligning coaching and officiating standards with the sport's modern format and global aspirations.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

India vs England 5th Test Day 3: Jaiswal's century, Sundar's quickfire fifty help India set 374 run target
India vs England 5th Test Day 3: Jaiswal's century, Sundar's quickfire fifty help India set 374 run target

India.com

time25 minutes ago

  • India.com

India vs England 5th Test Day 3: Jaiswal's century, Sundar's quickfire fifty help India set 374 run target

Washington Sundar. (PIC - X) New Delhi: India vs England fifth test is being played at Oval. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett gave England a good start in the second innings but on the last ball of the third day, Mohammed Siraj gave India the first success by dismissing Zak Crawley. How did England bat in the second innings? England has scored 50 runs in 13.5 overs in the second innings after losing one wicket. At the end of the day's play, Ben Duckett is present at the crease after scoring 34 runs. Zak Crawley was out after scoring 14 runs in 36 balls. There are still two days of play left. England, leading the series 2-1, need 324 more runs to win, while India need nine wickets. What was Team India's situation while batting? India scored 396 runs after losing all wickets in the second innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal scored the highest 118 runs for the Indian team in the second innings. Josh Tongue took a five-wicket haul from England. On the third day, Yashasvi and Akash Deep made a century partnership during the first session. Jamie Overton showed Akash Deep the way to the pavilion. Akash Deep was out after scoring 66 runs in 94 balls. There was a partnership of 107 runs between the two for the third wicket. What was the contribution of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Washington Sundar? After the lunch break, captain Shubman Gill was dismissed after scoring 11 runs in 9 balls. He was dismissed by Atkinson. Karun Nair could score only 17 runs in 32 balls. Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed after scoring 118 runs in 164 balls. Dhruv Jurel contributed 34 and Ravindra Jadeja contributed 53 runs. Siraj could not open the account. Washington Sundar scored a quick 53 runs in 46 balls. Thanks to the excellent bowling of Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, India stopped England at 247 in the first innings and then gained a lead of 373 runs in the second innings, thanks to Yashasvi Jaiswal's strong century.

Masculinity in transition
Masculinity in transition

The Hindu

timean hour ago

  • The Hindu

Masculinity in transition

The nature of gender is changing in contemporary Indian society. Traditional traits of masculinity — authority, physical dominance, and emotional stoicism — are increasingly being challenged in both professional and familial spaces. Meanwhile, traits that were once associated with femininity — empathy, adaptability, and emotional literacy — are becoming more widely accepted as essential for success in the 21st century. This shift represents not only a cultural transformation but also a social reconfiguration of gender roles, expressions, and performances in response to structural changes in the economy, technology, and interpersonal relationships. In modern workplaces, communication, collaboration, and emotional intelligence are prioritised over physical strength or hierarchical control. Consequently, the roles associated with femininity have become a valuable form of social capital. Behaviours that were once undervalued in the public sphere are now recognised as essential skills in various sectors, including corporate management, healthcare, education, and teaching. Increasingly, those who can 'read the room', regulate emotions, and engage with relational complexities are increasingly seen as effective and well-suited for future expectations. In contrast, traditional masculinity appears to be struggling to regain its relevance in contemporary expectations. Its conventional traits no longer align with the dominant structures of modern work or family life. As automation makes many manual and physical jobs obsolete, and as corporate and bureaucratic cultures impose greater surveillance, accountability, and transparency on leadership, the space for traditional masculine assertiveness and unilateral control typical of traditional masculinity is shrinking. This shift results in a form of functional redundancy rather than erasure; older forms of masculinity are no longer a prerequisite for productivity or power. This has led to the emergence of alternative spaces for expressing masculinity, which has become apparent in urban India. There is a noticeable retreat into hyper-visible, stylised, and often performative spaces such as gyms, street corners, roadside gatherings, and the digital spectacle of social media reels. These spaces serve as arenas for asserting presence, control, and virility in a society that no longer structurally necessitates these attributes. Bodies are sculpted, not for physical labour, but as a spectacle, and aggression is performed, not for protection or dominance in real-life situations, but for the camera. While these expressions are legitimate in their own right, they highlight a disconnect between cultural understandings of masculinity and their practical relevance. This disruption of masculine identity is especially complicated in a society like India, where views on gender are still closely linked to biological differences. Even among educated people, they can make a little distinction between sex and gender. In this context, gender is often seen as something fixed and binary, rather than fluid and shared. Consequently, when individuals, especially young men, face the expectation to show behaviours associated with femininity, like caregiving, vulnerability, or emotional openness, they often feel a conflict within their identity. This confusion is not just personal; it arises socially, from the clash between traditional norms and modern expectations. In this context, there is a strong tendency to cling to visible, ritualised performances of masculinity. The phenomenon of 'reel masculinity' that proliferates across platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and short-video platforms is not a coincidence; rather, it is an attempt to stabilise an identity that feels increasingly precarious. However, this creates a feedback loop where traditional understandings of gender roles are not only preserved but also glamorised, feeding into cycles of alienation, aggression, and social discontent. The challenge, then, is not to feminise society but to demystify gender itself. A sociological approach requires recognising that masculinity and femininity are not biologically determined traits but learnt behaviours. These behaviours are influenced by history, culture, and social institutions. As those structures change, our understanding of gender roles must change as well. The belief that emotional intelligence is 'feminine' and that decisiveness is 'masculine' is both limiting and unsupported by evidence. In reality, all individuals, regardless of biological sex, can draw from a wide range of emotional and behavioural skills. This has important implications for education, family life, and public policy. Schools and universities must teach gender literacy actively. This should happen not just through abstract theory but as part of daily life, including literature, history, psychology, and personal interactions. Especially, youth should learn that gender is not destiny; it is a framework for negotiating identity. Parents and caregivers should model and encourage behaviours that challenge rigid categories. This includes allowing boys to cry and care and encouraging girls to lead and assert themselves. Media and cultural institutions need to go beyond token representation. They should provide complex, intersectional narratives of masculinity and femininity in transition. The goal is not to make masculinity outdated. Instead, we want to expand it, making it responsive and ethical. Masculinity should evolve to include emotional awareness without shame, to practice care without being condescending, and to give up control without feeling less of a man. Only then can it stay relevant in a world that no longer links power to physical strength or authority to emotional distance. India needs not a negation of either masculinity or femininity but an acceptance of it. In workplaces, this means rethinking leadership to be more empathetic and inclusive. At home, it means sharing emotional responsibilities more fairly. In public discourse, it requires challenging the mistaken link between masculinity and dominance. Most important, femininity is a role and has no link with sexual identity, and both men and women should adopt these roles as per their needs and spaces. Ultimately, the evolution of gender is not a threat to identity; it is a social necessity. As our institutions, technologies, and relationships change, our ideas of what it means to be a man, a woman, or something in between must change too. A future based on mutual respect, flexibility, and shared humanity requires nothing less. ashwinsociology@

No player should miss out on tournaments due to lack of funds, says CM
No player should miss out on tournaments due to lack of funds, says CM

Time of India

time2 hours ago

  • Time of India

No player should miss out on tournaments due to lack of funds, says CM

1 2 Nagpur: Maharashtra is set to establish advanced sports training centres with global-standard facilities, international coaches, and certified nutritionists, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Saturday. Speaking at a felicitation ceremony for Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh, Fadnavis said the state is committed to building a robust sports ecosystem where every deserving player gets full support. He also added that no athlete should miss out on tournaments due to financial or logistical constraints. Addressing the gathering, Fadnavis said Divya's triumph brought him threefold happiness: as an Indian witnessing the end of Chinese dominance in chess, as a Maharashtrian proud of the state's talent, and as a Nagpurkar celebrating a hometown hero. "She made us proud at the global level," said Fadnavis. "At just 19, she's achieved what many can only dream of," he added. Fadnavis emphasised that Divya's journey — from Under-9 champion at the age of 7 to defeating elite global players — is a source of inspiration for thousands of young chess aspirants. Highlighting the focus, discipline, and sharpness required for chess in an age dominated by mobile distractions, he stressed that Maharashtra would continue to give sports the priority it deserves. "This felicitation is not just to honour her but to inspire others. We are building a system where no talented sportsperson is deprived of chances due to a lack of funds or facilities," he said. Fadnavis elaborated on several initiatives launched by the state to uplift sports. "Until recently, there was no provision to fund players. Now we've changed that. We offer cash prizes and direct support to help athletes with travel, training, and equipment," he said. Fadnavis also revealed that the state govt has already transferred Rs3 crore into Divya's account as a reward. On a lighter note, cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal commented on Nagpur's intellectual strength, saying, "People from Nagpur seem to be especially brilliant at chess." Jokingly, he added, "I also play chess, but in politics. Knocking out pawns and checkmating opponents is a skill we learn here, too." MLC Parinay Fuke, president of the Maharashtra Chess Association, also praised Divya's achievement, calling it a landmark moment for both Nagpur and India. "After Vishy Anand, she is the first Indian woman to bring such glory to India. The finals were tough, with three tie-breakers, but her aggressive play helped her clinch the win," he said. He recalled her early days, citing her first coach, the late Rahul Joshi, and current coach Abhimanyu Puranik. Fuke also revealed that when they approached the CM for funding the Chess Grand Prix in 2023, he immediately approved Rs2 crore. "Divya, who had lost to Koneru Humpy in the semi-final then, went on to defeat Humpy in this year's finale," he said. With the next Chess World Cup (Open) set to take place in India, Fuke said that Maharashtra deserves to host the event and take its rightful place on the world chess map. Fadnavis replied that if the Maharashtra Chess Association manages to bag the hosting rights, the state govt will ensure that it is organised at a grand level. Newly appointed sports minister Manikrao Kokate, in his first public address, called chess a mix of discipline, concentration, and mental strength. Kokate announced that funds would be specially allocated for advanced training of girl athletes. "If girls are given the right opportunity and support, they can conquer the world. I will do everything in my capacity to make Maharashtra the top state in sports," Kokate said. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store