Mallakhamb
Mallakhamb is an Indian sport in which athletes perform a set of holds, climbs, catches and drops on a wooden pole or a cotton rope. A chief judge and four judges score each set out of 10; the highest and lowest of the four are dropped and the middle two averaged. An optional set is scored for difficulty, combination and execution.
Checked 20 October 2026
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How long
Sets on a pole or a rope, each scored out of 10
Lengths are from the rule book.
The tournaments that matter
- National Mallakhamb Championship (India; Yearly).
- National Games (mallakhamb) (Games; Irregular).
Who runs it
| Rules made by | School Games Federation of India (SGFI), Rules & Regulations: Mallakhamb, rules 1 to 15 |
| International federation | Vishwa Mallakhamb Federation, which ran world championships in 2019 and 2023. |
| In India | Mallakhamb Federation of India (MFI): not on the MYAS list for 2026 as published |
Where and when it is played
On a teak or sheesham pole fixed in the ground and oiled with castor oil, or on a cotton rope 5 to 5.5 metres long that may not be knotted. The big events are Indian: the National Mallakhamb Championship every year and the National Games.