PM Modi Inaugurates 6th World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan

Inauguration of the World Nomad Games

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games held at Bishkek Arena, where he welcomed the Indian team taking part in the festivities.

Indian Contingent at the Games

The Indian delegation consists of 87 members, including 73 athletes, 10 cultural representatives, and four individuals involved in the scientific program. As they entered the arena, they proudly carried the national flag, and PM Modi acknowledged them with a wave.

Event Details

The World Nomad Games are scheduled from August 31 to September 6 in Kyrgyzstan, featuring athletes from around the globe who will showcase traditional sports and the rich heritage of nomadic cultures.

Official Visit

PM Modi's visit to Bishkek is at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov. Additionally, he is set to attend the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit during this trip.

Locations for the Games

Main events of the Games will take place in various venues including Cholpon-Ata, Kyrchyn, and other sites around the Issyk-Kul region.

History of the World Nomad Games

The concept of the World Nomad Games originated from the Bishkek Declaration, signed in 2012 by Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey during the Summit of the Heads of Turkic States. The inaugural event was hosted in Kyrgyzstan in 2014, followed by editions in 2016 and 2018 in Kyrgyzstan, 2022 in Iznik, Turkey, and the upcoming 2024 edition in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Sports Disciplines Featured

The 2026 edition will include a diverse range of 43 sports disciplines, featuring traditional wrestling styles such as Goresh, Kurash, and Mongol Bokh, along with equestrian events, Kok Boru, Kekpar, Toguz Kargool, Mangala, Oware, Chuko, Ordo, tug of war, and strongman competitions.

Cultural Significance

PM Modi's presence at the opening ceremony underscores India's commitment to strengthening ties with Kyrgyzstan and enhancing cultural exchanges associated with the World Nomad Games.

Key Sporting Disciplines at the Games

Goresh

Goresh is a traditional Turkmen belt wrestling style where wrestlers aim to throw their opponent to the ground.

Kurash

This ancient Uzbek wrestling form focuses on throwing opponents onto their backs, with strict rules against ground wrestling and strikes.

Mongol Bokh

The Mongolian folk wrestling style requires opponents to touch the ground with any body part except their feet or hands, with no weight classes.

Toguz Kargool

A traditional Central Asian board game from the mancala family, played with 162 small stones on a board with 18 holes.

Mangala

This Turkish strategy board game involves capturing stones on a wooden board with 12 pits.

Oware

An African game where players aim to capture more seeds than their opponent by moving them around a board.

Chuko

Players use sheep ankle bones to knock opponent pieces out of a designated area.

Ordo

A game where teams flick bones to knock opposing pieces out of a large circle, simulating military strategy.