Palakkad: In a crucial development, Kerala has received relief following a court order that reinstated Kalaripayattu as a competitive event in the National Games. The decision came after Kalaripayattu was excluded from the competition list in the National Games. Despite Kerala’s stellar performance in the last National Games held in Goa, where 19 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medals were won by the state. With the new ruling, Kerala hopes to maintain its strong showing in this ancient martial art form.

Kalaripayattu was retained as a demonstration event this time as well. The exhibition was scheduled to take place in Haridwar on January 29 and 30. As a result, all the players have been undergoing training, said Kerala Kalaripayattu Association Secretary G Radhakrishnan. A list of 220 athletes has been prepared, along with 28 technical staff members. The state competitions concluded at the end of December, and officials confirmed that everything is set. The Kalaripayattu camp began on December 10, with training sessions being held at centres in Malappuram, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram.

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PIL filed by Haryana native Harshita Yadav

Harshita Yadav, a Kalaripayattu practitioner from Haryana, played a key role in the legal push to restore Kalaripayattu as a competitive event. Having won a bronze medal in Kalaripayattu events during the Goa National Games, Harshita felt the Indian Olympic Association's decision to remove Kalaripayattu from the competition was unjustified. After several complaints went unaddressed, Harshita took the matter to court, ultimately securing a favourable outcome.

Harshita’s Kalaripayattu training has been under the guidance of Dr P B Sumesh, a Malayali and theVice President of the Indian Kalaripayattu Federation. Harshita is currently a BSc Physics Honours student at Hindu College, Delhi University. 

Meanwhile, Dr Sumesh expressed his gratitude for the court’s decision, noting that athletes from 18 Indian states have been eagerly waiting for this moment.