New Delhi

The image of the Nuh district of Haryana, bordering Delhi, as a notorious hub of cybercrime, cow slaughter, and other criminal activities, is undergoing a major change through sports promoted by the administration.

Launched under the banner of 'Khelo Mewat.' on the lines of national level Khelo India, the campaign has already involved hundreds of local youth into sports, diverting them from other activities.

'Khelo Mewat' - the region is also known as Mewat - is a three-month mega sports competition launched by the local administration on 3 April from 60 villages of the Punhana and Firozpur Jhirka blocks, both considered the hotspots of crimes and cases of drug addiction among the youth.

The enthusiasm generated by the ‘Khelo Mewat’ event can be judged from the fact that around 10,000 players participated in its first year.

Local youth practising tug of war for Khelo Mewat competition

The participants included 264 cricket teams, 150 volleyball teams, 214 tug of war teams, 119 wrestling teams, and over 1,000 track and field athletes. These athletes were not only provided with a platform but also cash prizes. The winning team took away up to ₹1.5 lakh, and the overall champions up to ₹5 lakh.

The region predominantly inhabited by Meo Muslims has been battling the serious problem of drug addiction and unemployment for a long time. According to a government report, last year, 493 youths came to the de-addiction centre in Nuh for treatment, out of which 57 were admitted.

The experiment of youth diverting their energies into sports to bring down drug addiction and possibilities of their emotional exploitation by terrorists was successfully launched in Kashmir, too.

Village sarpanch Imran says, "When youth are busy in sports, they do not have time to go on the wrong path."

Additional Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Malik believes that schemes like cash prizes and awards change the thinking of the youth, "When children feel that sports can bring recognition and rewards, they enter the field with passion. Every child wants to play, and every village wants to win."

Already, sportsmen like Parvez Khan and Shahbaz Ahmed are a matter of pride for Mewat. Parvez Khan created history by winning the gold medal in the 1500-meter race in America's prestigious NCAA Championship.

He became the first Indian track athlete to win gold in the NCAA. Earlier in 2022, he won the gold medal in the National Games by breaking a 28-year-old record. Coming from a farming family, Parvez got a scholarship from the University of Florida, USA, and from there he gave a new direction to Indian athletics.

Award time: winners of an event in Khelo Mewat on the podium

On the other hand, Shahbaz Ahmed, who has brought fame to Mewat in cricket, has made his mark as an all-rounder of the Indian cricket team. His journey shows that if talent gets the right platform and resources, then international stars can emerge from areas like Mewat.

Sports have not only brought about change at the individual level, but community thinking has also changed. Rahim Ahmed, captain of the winning cricket team of Punhana block, says that he practiced on hard grounds without any special resources, but the passion to win never diminished.

He says that “Khelo Mewat” gave him the platform he was looking for for years. Rohit, a player of the winning volleyball team of Pingawan block, says, “Earlier, my mother used to be worried about my playing, but now she claps the loudest.”

Sportsmen from Mewat are making their presence felt in intellectual sports along with physical sports. Games like chess, which is often considered a game of urban children, is now becoming a passion for the local youth.

Players from Mewat performed brilliantly in the inter-district championship organised by the Haryana Chess Association, which shows that the talent of this region is not just limited to the field but is also strong in the mind game.

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Chaudhary Shaukat, a leader from village Siroli says, “There is no dearth of talent here; they just need to be provided an opportunity and a ground. Focus on education and sports can change the image of Mewat.”