More than 1,500 people participated in the 7th Annual Indian Traditional Games Festival (ITGF) that took place at GIIS Queenstown Campus in Singapore on Sunday, 1st of May 2016. Jointly organised by the Vivekananda Seva Sangh (VSS) and Global Indian International School (GIIS), the aim of the festival is to encourage the children and youth in Singapore to embrace and play more outdoor games and promote the legacy of Indian traditional games such as Kabaddi, Kho Kho, Gilli-danda and Langadi to name a few.

ITGF was celebrated with fervour among all the communities in Singapore

Both organisers, VSS and GIIS, were appreciative of the encouragement provided by the Singapore Government in organising such community events, which exemplify the multi-cultural fabric of Singapore and offer people from all walks of life the opportunity to participate in and learn about each other’s cultures and traditions.

“I am overwhelmed to see the excitement of the participants here in Singapore,” said chief guest Mr Ram Madhav, National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “Many of these traditional games have lost importance in India and so it is a great initiative by the organisers,” he adds.

Mr Atul Temurnikar, Executive Chairman and CEO of Global Schools Foundation, said, “We will be taking this event to other Asian countries from next year and will be conducting it on a bigger scale with more corporate sponsors. These games reflect the identity of Indian culture, which is rich and deeply rooted among Non-Resident Indians overseas. ITGF is more than a festival, it is the culmination of sports and culture.”

During ITGF, cultural performances presented mesmerized all the participants

“For the first time in ITGF, more than 100 Indian expats working in various construction sectors participated along with others,” said Mr Yogesh Hinduja, coordinator for VSS. “In addition to this, 10 members of a professional International Group from Malaysia-based Silambam martial arts showcased their talent during the event,” informed Mr Hinduja.

Many participants were nostalgic about their childhood as they saw and participated in traditional Indian games such as Kabaddi, Kho Kho, Langadi (one-leg hopping game), Gilli-Danda (bail & stick), Lattoo (spinning top), Pithoo (also called Lagori), skipping, lean-and-spoon race and sack race. The audience also received a cultural education in the form of song and dance entertainment performed by young children.

The event concluded on a high note with a promise to have next edition of ITGF on an even larger scale.