BRICS Traditional and Indigenous Games Conclude in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad, Oct 13 : The inaugural BRICS Traditional and Indigenous Demonstration Games concluded in Ahmedabad on Monday, with nearly 160 participants from the 10 member nations showcasing their traditional sports and cultural practices.

India featured prominently at the one-day event with demonstrations of yogasana, mallakhamb and kalaripayattu. Other highlights included wushu from China, the traditional board game togyzkumalak from Kazakhstan and a meditative Jiu-Jitsu demonstration by Brazil.

India's high-intensity mallakhamb performance and rhythmic yogasana display attracted considerable attention, highlighting the country's rich sporting heritage.

India had earlier won 114 medals, including 102 gold, at the Yogasana World Championships held in June. The competition featured 79 countries and more than 500 participants.

The demonstrations provided an opportunity for participating nations to experience and learn about one another's traditional sports and cultural practices.

Philasande Macwili, chef-de-mission of South Africa, said yoga was popular in his country for its benefits in stress relief, flexibility and physical well-being.

"Yoga is one of the activities in South Africa that people use to detox, relieve stress and improve movement and flexibility. We embrace it, and we love it," Macwili told the Sports Authority of India Media.

China's chef-de-mission Yi Liu said the delegation was keen to learn more about yoga after witnessing the demonstrations and practice sessions.

"Today we looked and learned so much about Yoga. Even yesterday during practice, we saw young children practising amazing movements. We want to learn so much more about it," Liu said.

Liu also praised the hospitality extended to the participating delegations during their stay in India, describing the visit as a memorable experience.

Russia's head of delegation, Zlata Yakovleva, echoed similar sentiments, appreciating the arrangements and the spirit of friendship among the participating nations.

"The hospitality of the Indian side is awesome. We really enjoyed the hotel, all the venues of the event, and how everything looked. I guess the biggest and most favourite part for me is the friendship among the BRICS countries. We really enjoy participating together in such events," Yakovleva said.

India fielded the largest contingent at the Games with 50 participants, followed by China, Iran and South Africa.

Ahmedabad, which hosted the inaugural edition of the event, is also preparing to stage the 2030 Commonwealth Games and is among the contenders to host the 2036 Olympic Games.