Bundelkhand univ to lead campaign for revival of 'lost sports'

By Sundeep Pauranik
Jhansi/Chattarpur, July 10 (IANS) In the current era, the Bundelkhand region may be recognised as a drought-prone area, but the fact that it has a rich culture and heritage is not hidden from anyone. 

Now research is being conducted for the revival of the "lost sports" of the area so that the world can know which sports were played here.

The water structures here are also unique but have been neglected. The sports played here were also gradually lost. The younger generation is not aware of those sports, forget about the country and the world.

Kanishk Pandey, who had a special interest in sports and runs a campaign for sports literacy, studied the sports of this region. 

After the study, he thought about why the games were lost, how to revive them and how they can be linked with national and international sports.

Pandey said the ITM Institute of Management, Ghaziabad, has entered into an agreement with the Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, regarding this. Through this, research will be done about the sports of Bundelkhand. Along with this, steps will also be taken to revive those games.

Pandey said that games like Mallakhamb were played in the region, while it also had arts like Chiteri.

Bundelkhand University Vice Chancellor Mukesh Pandey said that Kanishk Pandey has studied the sports of Bundelkhand and in this regard he contacted the university. To keep the future of the sports of this region safe and sound, the university has signed the pact with the Sports Research Centre of IMT.

IMT director Vishal Tanwar said this is the only institute in the country where continuous research is being conducted to connect sports with culture. As per the agreement between the two, the current status of sports, sports literacy and efforts to promote them will be made. 

Efforts will be made to promote sports literacy, as well as the status of Olympic sports in the Bundelkhand region.

People who are concerned about Bundelkhand's culture are of the view that if this initiative is successful, not only the youth but the entire world will know the games that were played here.