Draft:Pittu Federation of India

The Pittu Federation of India (PFI) is the governing and controlling body of pittu game in India. PFI manages all the national-level pittu operations in India. It is involved in organizing training camps and national tournaments, and in preparing Indian teams for both men's and women's international competitions in various age categories.

The Pittu Federation of India is registered as a non-profit organization with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013. Currently, Cabinet Minister of Government of Madhya Pradesh Mr. Kailash Vijayvargiya serves as the President of the Pittu Federation of India.

History
Pittu, one of the oldest traditional games of India, boasts a rich history spanning over five millennia. Pittu holds a special place in Indian mythology and folklore, with legends such as Lord Shree Krishna depicted engaging in the game with his friends. The game's mention in ancient texts highlights its enduring cultural significance and its role as a source of entertainment for generations. Thought to have originated in the southern parts of the Indian subcontinent.

The Game
Pittu is a team sport played on a rectangular court between two teams, each team consisting of six players. The game involves strategic manoeuvring and coordination as teams compete to rearrange a set of seven fixed pieces known as the Pittu. While one team aims to break the pittu with the ball and rearrange the Pittu, the opposing team focuses on defensive tactics to prevent its reassembly. The primary objective of Pittu is for one team to break the set of seven Pittu pieces with ball and then reassemble them in the same order. This team, known as the striker team, earns points by successfully rearranging the Pittu. On the other hand, the defender team endeavours to thwart the striker team's efforts by preventing the Pittu set from being reassembled. The team that scores the most points within the stipulated time, played in two halves of 10 minutes each, is declared the winner. Pittu is played on a field 26 meters long and 14 meters wide, which is divided into three zones. The playing field surface can vary; the pittu set consists of seven pieces, each of which has a specific shape and colour. It is made of strong plastic. The game requires ten players per team, with six players actively participating and four serving as substitutes.

Championships
1st Senior National Pittu Championship

The 1st Senior National Pittu Championship held from 26th to 28th September 2021 at the Basketball Complex in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. With 12 teams participating in both the male and female categories, the participating teams included Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and TWD.

The championship was inaugurated in the presence of Cabinet Minister of Government of Madhya Pradesh Mr. Mohan Yadav, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Indore Lok Sabha constituency Mr. Shankar Lalwani, former State Minister of Government of Madhya Pradesh Mr. Deepak Joshi, Member of the Legislative Assembly (India) from Indore-2 Assembly constituency Mr. Ramesh Mendola, Member of the Legislative Assembly (India) from Indore-3 Assembly constituency Mr. Akash Vijayvargiya and Indore District President of Bharatiya Janata Party Mr. Gaurav Randive. In the inaugural ceremony, students of Modern International School, Indore presented a dance performance based on indigenous games. At the championship closing ceremony, the winning teams were felicitated by National General Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party and President of Pittu Federation of India Mr. Kailash Vijayvargiya, former State Minister of Madhya Pradesh Government Mr. Deepak Joshi and International Hockey Player Mr. Mir Ranjan Negi.