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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?
Explanation
The first Kho Kho World Cup was held in New Delhi, India from 13 to 19 January 2025[2], making Statement I correct.
However, Statements II and III contain incorrect scores. The Indian men's team beat Nepal 54-36 in the final[3], not 78-40 as stated in Statement II. The Indian women's team clinched the title with a 78-40 win over Nepal[4], not 54-36 as stated in Statement III.
Both statements have reversed the actual scores - the men's final score (54-36) has been incorrectly attributed to the women's match, and vice versa. India did win both the men's and women's titles at the inaugural World Cup, but the scores mentioned in Statements II and III are swapped.
Therefore, only Statement I is correct, making option A the right answer.
Sources- [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kho_Kho_World_Cup
- [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kho_Kho_World_Cup
- [3] https://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/kho-kho-world-cup-after-women-indian-mens-team-also-crowned-champion/article69117372.ece
- [4] https://sports.ndtv.com/othersports/after-women-indian-mens-team-also-clinches-inaugural-kho-kho-world-cup-title-7511116
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis is a classic 'First-Ever' event question, a category UPSC prioritizes. While the event itself was headline news, the difficulty lies in the 'Data Swap' trap between statements II and III. Strategy: For inaugural events hosted by India, memorize the Host, Winner, Runner-up, and verify if numerical details in parallel statements are transposed.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Was the first Kho Kho World Cup held in Delhi, India?
- Statement 2: Did the Indian men's team beat Nepal 78–40 in the final of the first Kho Kho World Cup to win the men's championship?
- Statement 3: Did the Indian women's team beat Nepal 54–36 in the final of the first Kho Kho World Cup to win the women's championship?
- Explicitly identifies the event as the first Kho Kho World Cup.
- States the location as New Delhi, India and gives the dates (13–19 January 2025).
- Confirms the 2025 World Cup was hosted by India.
- Specifies the venue as the Indira Gandhi Arena, New Delhi and the dates (January 13 to 19, 2025).
Notes the transfer of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi (1911), indicating Delhi's long-standing role as the national capital and centre for major national-level events.
A student could use this to infer that major sporting or international events are often hosted in a country's capital and then check tournament records or event host lists for confirmation.
States that New Delhi was planned and built as the capital, reinforcing Delhi's status as the political and administrative centre of India.
Combine with knowledge that capitals often have infrastructure and venues for large events to guide a search for the World Cup's host city in sports news or official federations.
Lists Delhi among Union Territories and notes its redesignation as the National Capital Territory, highlighting its administrative distinctiveness and likely availability of centrally managed facilities.
A student could use this as background to prioritize checking Delhi-based venues or federations' announcements when verifying the event location.
Mentions a specific transport landmark (Ajmeri Gate near New Delhi Railway Station), indicating established transport infrastructure in Delhi useful for hosting visitors to an international event.
Use the existence of major transport hubs as a heuristic to expect large events to be sited there, then consult event schedules or press releases to confirm where the Kho Kho World Cup was held.
Refers to notable historical monuments in Delhi (Iron Pillar), underscoring the city's prominence and tourism capacity which often accompanies event hosting.
Combine the city's prominence with general knowledge that international sporting events are often hosted in well-known cities, then verify via sports federation records or news coverage for the first Kho Kho World Cup location.
- Directly reports the men's final score as 54-36, contradicting the 78-40 figure for the men's match.
- Also explicitly states the 78-40 score was the women's final, showing 78-40 was not the men's result.
- States the men's final score as 54-36, confirming the men's result was not 78-40.
- Confirms India won the inaugural men's title by beating Nepal with that 54-36 scoreline.
Describes a school-level kabaddi final, showing that finals, head-to-head matches between Indian teams and opponents, and disputed outcomes are a common pattern in Indian contact sports.
A student could extend this by checking records of organised South Asian or international traditional-sport tournaments (like kabaddi/kho-kho) to see if India and Nepal met in a final and what the scoreline was.
Explains historical border/contact between British India and Nepal and notes frequent interactions across the frontier—establishes a long-standing India–Nepal relationship that makes bilateral sporting contests plausible.
Using a world map and knowledge that neighbouring countries often compete in regional sports, a student could look up records of India–Nepal fixtures in regional/traditional-sport tournaments to verify the claim.
Notes formal agreements and ongoing ties between India and Nepal (treaty and information exchange), implying regular bilateral engagement that can include sports diplomacy and competitions.
A student could use this to justify searching official sports federation releases or bilateral sporting event reports for an Indo–Nepal kho-kho final and its reported score.
States that despite differences, India and Nepal maintain stable peaceful relations with cooperation in multiple areas—suggests cultural and sporting exchanges are likely between the two countries.
Combine this with knowledge of regional sports events to motivate checking tournament records (e.g., inaugural world cups) for India vs Nepal matchups and results.
- Explicitly gives the scores for both finals, showing the men’s final was 54-36 and the women’s final was 78-40.
- Directly contradicts the statement by showing the women's final score was 78-40, not 54-36.
- States the Indian women's team 'clinched the title with a dominant 78-40 win over Nepal'.
- Also states the Indian men's team beat Nepal 54-36, separating the men's and women's final scores.
- Provides a results table showing the male final as 54–36 (vs Nepal) and female final as 78–40 (vs Nepal).
- Confirms that both finals were against Nepal but with different scores for men’s and women’s matches.
Gives a clear example of a school-level final tournament (kabaddi) and describes how finals and disputes are handled — illustrating the common tournament/final-match structure used in team sports in the region.
A student could extend this by noting that international/kho-kho events similarly have finals and scorelines, so verifying a reported final score requires checking tournament records or match reports for the final match.
Notes the increasing public/political visibility and organisation around women (e.g., push for greater participation), implying organised women's teams and competitions are plausible and recorded.
One could reasonably expect formal women's national teams exist and that their results are documented in sports records or news archives to confirm the claimed final result.
Describes institutional measures (reservations) that have increased women's representation in public life, supporting the broader pattern of growing organised participation by women, including in sports.
This suggests national-level investment and organisation of women's activities; a student could check official tournament lists or national federation releases for the first Kho Kho World Cup women's championship results.
Discusses Nepal as a modern political actor in South Asia, implicitly confirming Nepal is a nation that participates in regional/international events.
A student can reasonably infer Nepal fields national teams in regional sports and therefore look for match records or press coverage of an India vs Nepal final in kho-kho.
- [THE VERDICT]: Trap. The event is famous, but the specific scores were swapped between Men and Women. Source: The Hindu/Indian Express Sports Page (Jan 2025).
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: 'Indigenous Sports going Global'. UPSC focuses on traditional Indian systems (Yoga, Ayurveda, Kho Kho) gaining international recognition.
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize recent/upcoming major hosts: 44th Chess Olympiad (Chennai), FIFA U-17 Women's WC (India), 2036 Olympics bid. Know the Mascots (e.g., Thambi for Chess). Know the Runner-up (Nepal in this case).
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: When you see two parallel statements with specific numbers (Men's score vs Women's score), your immediate reflex should be 'Are these swapped?'. Do not blindly trust precise figures in multi-statement questions.
Delhi's role as the national capital explains why major national or international events are likely to be hosted there.
High-yield for questions about likely locations of major events and the political significance of cities; connects political history, urban planning, and event-hosting capacity. Mastering this helps infer probable venues when direct event data is missing.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > 13. Lord Hardinge II 1910-1916 > p. 820
- Themes in world history, History Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 6: Displacing Indigenous Peoples > ACTIVITY 4 > p. 150
Delhi's changing administrative status affects which levels of government manage and authorize large events in the city.
Important for UPSC coverage of federalism, centre–state relations, and urban governance; helps answer questions about administrative responsibility for public events and infrastructure. This concept links constitutional provisions with practical event administration.
- Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 41: Union Territories > CREATION OF UNION TERRITORIES > p. 409
- Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 41: Union Territories > CREATION OF UNION TERRITORIES > p. 409
The history of mass movements converging on Delhi demonstrates the city's capacity to host large-scale national gatherings.
Useful for questions on protest dynamics, political geography, and the centrality of capitals; helps reason about logistical, security, and political implications when major events are held in the capital.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 22: Nationalist Response in the Wake of World War II > p. 441
The 1814–16 conflict and the Treaty of Sugauli set early territorial and political terms between the kingdoms that later shaped India–Nepal relations.
High-yield for UPSC history and international relations: explains causes of early Himalayan frontier conflicts, the role of military encounters in colonial expansion, and the long-term impact of treaties on bilateral boundaries and diplomacy. Useful for questions on colonial diplomacy, treaty consequences, and regional stability.
- Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 10: India And Her Neighbours > War with Nepal, 1814 > p. 166
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 5: Expansion and Consolidation of British Power in India > Anglo-Nepalese Relations > p. 126
- Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 10: India And Her Neighbours > War with Nepal, 1814 > p. 167
The 1950 treaty formalised recognition of Nepal's sovereignty and created a consultative framework for handling bilateral issues.
Essential for modern history and polity: clarifies post‑1947 arrangements shaping India’s neighbourhood policy, sovereignty considerations, and mechanisms for addressing cross-border concerns. Relevant for questions on treaties, foreign policy frameworks, and India’s relations with neighbouring states.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 38: Developments under Nehru’s Leadership (1947-64) > India and Nepal > p. 652
Nepal's geography directly affects India’s external security calculus and regional engagement strategies.
Important for geopolitics and contemporary affairs: links to border management, trade routes, hydropower and river water issues, and strategic depth considerations; helps frame answers on India’s security, infrastructure, and diplomatic priorities with landlocked neighbours.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 38: Developments under Nehru’s Leadership (1947-64) > India and Nepal > p. 652
- Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Contemporary South Asia > Ideas for the Teacher > p. 40
- Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Contemporary South Asia > Monarchy and Democracy in Nepal > p. 35
Early organised women's movements and bodies expanded women's roles in public life, a broad context for interpreting modern women's achievements including in sports.
High-yield for UPSC because questions often probe the origins and impact of women's organisations on social reforms and later public participation. Links history with social reform, gender studies, and contemporary gender-related policy discussions.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 8: Socio-Religious Reform Movements: General Features > Direction of Social Reform > p. 198
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 8: Socio-Religious Reform Movements: General Features > Direction of Social Reform > p. 199
- India and the Contemporary World – II. History-Class X . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Nationalism in India > May 1924 > p. 43
The Mascot. For the next exam, know the mascot of this World Cup (e.g., 'Veera' or similar if applicable) and the specific venue (Indira Gandhi Arena). Also, check if the 'Player of the Tournament' was Indian.
The 'Symmetry Swap' Heuristic. Statement II and III are mirror images (Men vs Women, specific scores). In 90% of UPSC cases, when two statements offer precise, contrasting data for sibling categories, the examiner has swapped them. If you assume the swap, both II and III are wrong, leaving only Option A.
GS-2 (International Relations - Soft Power): Promoting indigenous sports like Kho Kho is a tool of Cultural Diplomacy, similar to International Yoga Day, to project Indian heritage on the global stage.