UPSC Prelims 2025 Q99: Current Affairs – Other Sports & Personalities
Consider the following statements in respect of the first Kho Kho World Cup:
I. The event was held in Delhi, India.
II. Indian men beat Nepal with a score of 78 - 40 in the final to become the World Champion in men
category.
III. Indian women beat Nepal with a score of 54 - 36 in the final to become the World Champion in
women category.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) I only
- (b) II and III only
- (c) I and III only
- (d) I, II and III
Answer: (a) I only
Explanation
First Kho Kho World Cup — January 2025
| Statement | Claim | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Event held in Delhi, India | TRUE | The first-ever Kho Kho World Cup was held at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi in January 2025. India hosted the inaugural edition. ✓ |
| II | Indian men beat Nepal with score 78-40 in the final | FALSE | The men's final score between India and Nepal was 54-36 (India won), NOT 78-40. The 78-40 score was from the women's final. |
| III | Indian women beat Nepal with score 54-36 in the final | FALSE | The women's final score was 78-40 (India won), NOT 54-36. Statements II and III have their scores SWAPPED. |
Only Statement I correct → Answer: I only
First Kho Kho World Cup — Key Facts:
| Category | Result |
|---|---|
| Host | New Delhi (Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium), January 2025 |
| Men's Final | India beat Nepal - 54-36 |
| Women's Final | India beat Nepal - 78-40 |
| Both titles | India won BOTH men's and women's championships |
| Participants | 23+ countries |
| Tournament | Inaugural edition organised by Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) |
Answer: (a) I only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Statement I (Delhi venue) is the only correct statement. The scores in II and III are swapped — men's final was 54–36 (not 78–40) and women's final was 78–40 (not 54–36).
- (b) Incorrect. 'II and III only' would mean the event wasn't held in Delhi — but Delhi (Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium) was the confirmed venue. Also, II and III have swapped scores.
- (c) Incorrect. 'I and III only' would mean women's score of 54–36 is correct — but India beat Nepal 78–40 in the women's final.
- (d) Incorrect. 'I, II and III' would require both scores to be correct — but the scores in II (78–40 for men) and III (54–36 for women) are each other's scores.
Key point
Kho Kho World Cup, January 2025, New Delhi. India won BOTH titles. Men's final = 54–36 (India won). Women's final = 78–40 (India won). Statements II and III have SWAPPED scores.
Remember
First Kho Kho World Cup: January 2025, Delhi. India won men's (54–36 vs Nepal) and women's (78–40 vs Nepal) titles. Statements II and III in the question have swapped scores.
Common mistakes
- Not knowing the men's vs women's scores were swapped in the statements — this is a deliberate UPSC trick to test specific score knowledge.
- Not knowing Kho Kho is an indigenous Indian sport — a traditional tag game from Maharashtra, now going global with the World Cup.
- Forgetting India won both titles — India dominated both men's and women's categories in the inaugural World Cup.
Exam tip
Kho Kho World Cup Jan 2025: Delhi, India hosts, India wins both. Men = 54–36. Women = 78–40 (higher score = women's final). Memory trick: Women's final had more points (78 > 54). India vs Nepal in both finals.
Sources
- Kho Kho Federation of India — World Cup 2025 Official Results
- Sports Authority of India — First Kho Kho World Cup Coverage