In Nuh district, sports become a path to progress for youngsters

Cited as one of the most backward districts in North India, Nuh struggles with a severe infrastructure deficit, but it is now seeking redemption in sports. Overshadowed by the glitz of neighbouring Gurugram, Nuh is desperate to find its place in the NCR’s development narrative. With alarmingly high school dropout rates, widespread drug abuse and increasing youth involvement in cybercrime, the region’s young population has largely remained an untapped resource.

While various development schemes have failed to bring about meaningful change, local authorities have now placed their hopes in sports, an initiative that has emerged as the silver lining. ‘Khelo Mewat’, the brainchild of former Deputy Commissioner Vishram Kumar Meena, is bringing the entire district together in an effort to divert the youth from negative influences and channel their energy into sports. Launched in April 2025 as a pilot initiative, it has put sports on the priority chart of the local panchayats.

“We have a high dropout rate in Nuh. While some programmes aim to bring children back to the mainstream education, many simply refuse to return to formal education. In such cases, sports is proving to be the best alternative,” said Meena. “These youngsters, many of whom were previously involved in cybercrime or petty crimes, are now forming village-level teams, excelling in sports of their choice and even winning tournaments. While the initial draw may be the prizes, over time, we have seen true sportsmanship develop among them,” he added.

Naksheem Khatun of Nagina village said, “My son left school after Class XIII. He got involved with the OLX gang and was even arrested once. Ever since then we have been scared that he will fall back into cybercrime. In May, the sarpanch came to our home and took him to a volleyball match. He only went for the free juice and snacks, but since then, he has changed. He has formed a village team and is now planning to participate in league matches in Delhi.”

Funded primarily by the Mewat Development Authority, ‘Khelo Mewat’ is structured around regional-level tournaments held across gram panchayats and MCs. The initiative aims to unlock the district’s youth potential by offering them structured channels to showcase their talent and engage in healthy, competitive sport.

Each gram panchayat and municipal ward can field one team per sport, including cricket, volleyball, Tug of war, wrestling and athletics. In total, 325 panchayats and 59 municipal wards participate in each sport, resulting in total 1,803 teams and 9,339 players participating in the tournaments. These include 150 teams in volleyball, 264 in cricket, 214 in Tug of war, 119 in wrestling and 1,056 in athletics.

“This is a community-driven initiative,” said Nuh Additional Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Malik. “We don’t accept individual entries. Only teams officially sent by panchayats or ward committees are allowed to participate. This ensures equal participation and encourages every village to support and promote its local talent.”

Malik added that panchayats are now actively requesting sports infrastructure. “We’re seeing villages asking for playgrounds, converting school grounds into sports zones and even hiring coaches, often retired sports teachers or former players. In Haryana, sports have changed the destiny of many districts. We are hopeful that Nuh will be next.”