The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre to coordinate with the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir to include Dragon Boat Racing as a competitive sport in the upcoming Khelo India Water Sports Festival, scheduled from August 21 to 23, 2025, at Dal Lake, Srinagar.
The court, in its August 12 order, said the sport’s inclusion in the upcoming event was conditional on the petitioner — Dragon Boat India and Traditional Sports Federation — providing full logistical and technical support. This includes supplying dragon boats, trained officials, organising selection camps, and creating the necessary infrastructure, all without causing inconvenience to the host State.
The court took note of the fact that Dragon Boat Racing, officially recognised by the Olympic Council of Asia and featured in the 6th Asia Beach Games (Sanya, China, 2020) is an emerging sport with a growing global footprint.
The petitioner argued that the discipline also has deep historical roots in the northeast and south India, forming part of the country’s sporting heritage, and deserves proactive promotion under the Khelo India Programme’s mandate to revive indigenous games.
The Centre, however, noted that the sport had been introduced only as a demonstrative event in the inaugural Khelo India Water Sports Festival. It pointed out that the list of competitive and demonstration sports was finalised on June 6, 2025, and the host had already begun preparations, making last-minute additions challenging due to venue readiness, equipment procurement, and athlete training constraints.
The court, however, observed, “Inclusion of Dragon Boat Racing is therefore entirely consistent with the scheme’s vision of revitalising traditional sports, nurturing indigenous talent, and advancing athletes from the grassroots to the highest international platforms, including the Olympic Games”.
Published – August 15, 2025 02:30 am IST
