The Indian contingent during the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games at Bishkek Arena, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31. (Video Grab: Courtesy YT/@Narendramodi via IANS)
Morung Express Feature
The world’s traditional sporting cultures have converged in Kyrgyzstan as the sixth World Nomad Games opened in Bishkek, bringing athletes and cultural delegations from more than 100 countries together for an international celebration of sport, heritage and the traditions of nomadic peoples.
The 2026 Games carry the motto “United by Strength, United by Spirit!”, while the official mascot is Batay, a snow leopard, chosen as a symbol associated with Kyrgyzstan’s natural and cultural heritage.
The opening ceremony was held at the Bishkek Arena on August 31, marking the start of the 2026 Games, which run until September 6.
The ceremony also drew a strong diplomatic presence, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan among the leaders attending.
“Attended the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games in Bishkek. My best wishes to the Indian contingent,” Prime Minister Modi stated on X.
The Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also stated on X that Modi, along with other SCO leaders, attended the event after concluding their bilateral discussions on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in the Kyrgyz capital.
“The biennial event celebrates the rich sporting traditions, culture and heritage of nomadic civilisations, bringing together countries in a vibrant celebration of their shared culture,” the MEA added.
According to reports, the main sporting, cultural and scientific programmes are being held largely in the Issyk-Kul Region, with the closing ceremony scheduled on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul.
Athletes from 104 countries have registered for the sixth edition, Reuters news agency report.
The Games centre on traditional sports, particularly those associated with the nomadic peoples of Central Asia and the wider Turkic world, including horseback archery, wrestling and traditional board games.
Background & key events
The World Nomad Games were first held in Kyrgyzstan in 2014, followed by editions in 2016 and 2018, before moving to Iznik, Türkiye, in 2022 and Astana, Kazakhstan, in 2024.
The concept has remained centred on the preservation and promotion of traditional sports and cultural practices.
As per official World Nomad Games website describes the Games as an international platform where “diverse cultures, traditions, values, and athletic practices come together,” and encompass ethnosport, ethnoculture, and science combined with traditional knowledge.
Among the disciplines are Kok Boru and Kokpar, demanding horseback contests; traditional wrestling forms including Goresh, Kurash and Mongol Bokh; equestrian events; archery; tug of war; strongman competitions; and traditional strategy broad games including Toguz Korgool, and Mangala.
The 2026 Games also incorporate cultural and scientific programmes. Official event material termed these as platforms for traditional games, crafts, music and cultural practices, alongside discussions on ecology, heritage and traditional knowledge.
India’s largest contingent
As per reports, India’s contingent comprised of 87 members, including 73 athletes, 10 cultural representatives and four participants in the scientific programme. The contingent includes four athletes from Nagaland.
Indian participation extends across several traditional disciplines, including wrestling, equestrian events, archery and traditional board and strategy games,
Among the Indian participants, however, one delegation brings a particularly distinctive sporting tradition from Northeast India.
Naga Wrestling to take centre stage
Nagaland is represented through Naga Wrestling and belt wrestling, with four wrestlers forming the core of a 10-member Indian belt-wrestling contingent.
The four wrestlers are Huluyi D Vadeo and Kuvenu Puro in the men’s category, and Vikehenuo Zumvü and Haizuyile Zeliang in the women’s category. They are accompanied by six officials, including coaches and referees.
The Nagaland Wrestling Association (NWA) had earlier announced that its four wrestlers and six officials would represent India in the Belt Wrestling discipline. The team is led by NWA president Vivolie Kezo
The NWA also said that Naga Wrestling has been officially included in the Demonstration Sports Programme of the Games.
The Naga contingent has two related objectives in Kyrgyzstan: to compete in belt wrestling in their respective weight categories and to demonstrate the traditional style of Naga Wrestling.
The inclusion of Naga Wrestling as a demonstration event at Bishkek has significantly boosted association goal of promoting it at both the national and international levels, the NWA added.
