The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, in collaboration with the Government of Gujarat, will organise the BRICS Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games 2026 at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, Ahmedabad, on 12 October 2026, under India’s BRICS Chairship.
The event will be inaugurated by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, in the presence of Shri Harsh Sanghavi, Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat; Smt. Raksha Nikhil Khadse, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports; and Dr. Jayram Gamit, Minister of State for Sports, Gujarat.
The Games will bring together delegations from BRICS member and partner countries to showcase their traditional and indigenous sporting practices, celebrate cultural heritage and strengthen people-to-people connections through sport.
Designed as a non-competitive platform, the event will focus on demonstrations, documentation and the exchange of traditional sporting knowledge. It will provide opportunities for practitioners to interact, share experiences and highlight the historical and cultural significance of indigenous games.
Participating countries are expected to present a diverse range of traditional sports and cultural practices, reflecting their unique heritage:
– Belarus: Gorodki
– Bolivia: Lucha de Cholitas, Tinku, Rayuela, Trompo, Cachinas and Carrera de Sacos
– Brazil: Zarabatana (Indigenous Blowpipe), Corrida de Toras (Log Race), Brazilian Para-Jiu-jitsu and Capoeira
– China: Wushu, Lion Dance and Health Qigong
– Ethiopia: Ethiopian Wrestling (Tegel), Ethiopian Gena (Field Hockey) and Selus Gebeta/18-12/Bube/Shahe
– India: Mallakhamb, Yogasana and Kalaripayattu
– Iran: Zoorkhaneh, Haft Sang and Ghanieh
– Kazakhstan: Asyk Atu, Togyzkumalak and Qazaq Kuresi
– Russia: Gorodki and Sambo
– South Africa: Kgati and Iintonga
– United Arab Emirates: Al Tabbah
The Games will also provide a platform for bilateral engagements between India and visiting delegations. Meetings planned on the sidelines will explore opportunities to deepen sports cooperation and promote traditional and indigenous games within the BRICS framework.
By bringing together diverse sporting traditions under one platform, the initiative seeks to promote cultural understanding, preserve indigenous sporting knowledge and encourage greater international collaboration. It will also highlight the role of traditional games in connecting communities, preserving cultural identities and strengthening friendship among nations.
The BRICS Traditional and Indigenous Demonstration Games 2026 are expected to celebrate the rich sporting heritage of participating countries while reinforcing India’s commitment to cultural exchange, international cooperation and the promotion of traditional sports on the global stage.
