Ludhiana: Mansa, Jalandhar outplay opponents in kho-kho ties

The Under-17 boys’ kho-kho tournament kicked off at the School of Eminence (SOE), Jawahar Nagar, where around 250 players and coaches from 22 districts showcased their sporting spirit

The 69th Punjab Inter-District School Games 2025 for kho-kho and chess began in the district on Thursday. The Under-17 boys’ kho-kho tournament kicked off at the School of Eminence (SOE), Jawahar Nagar, where around 250 players and coaches from 22 districts showcased their sporting spirit.

Players in action during the inter-state kho-kho tournament at School of Eminence, Jawahar Nagar, in Ludhiana on Thursday. (Manish/HT)

The opening day saw fierce competition as Mansa outplayed Fatehgarh Sahib with a convincing 13–2 victory. Jalandhar crushed Gurdaspur 12–1, Fazilka overpowered Faridkot 11–2, Barnala registered a confident 12–2 victory against Amritsar while Sangrur triumphed over Rupnagar 9–4. Muktsar Sahib dominated Tarn Taran with a 10–2 win and Bathinda displayed a strong performance against Hoshiarpur, winning 9–4. Kapurthala outshone Ferozepur with a clean 4–0 sweep. Moga delivered a commanding 13–2 win against Pathankot, Patiala defeated Malerkotla 11–2 and .

Meanwhile, the Under-19 inter-district chess championship for boys and girls commenced at Sacred Soul Convent School, Dhandra. Nearly 240 participants from 23 districts are competing for top honours in the tournament.

After the first two rounds in the girls’ category, Patiala district emerged as the front-runner, followed by Faridkot in second place and SAS Nagar in third. Amritsar stood fourth, Jalandhar fifth, Sangrur sixth, Fazilka seventh, Bathinda eighth, Fatehgarh Sahib ninth and Hoshiarpur rounded off the top 10.

The energy and enthusiasm on display marked a promising start to the inter-district competitions which will continue till November 1. With several more matches scheduled in the coming days, the tournament is set to bring exciting performances.