Some aspects of the gameplay of Kho-Kho may have been mentioned in the Mahabharata. In pre-modern times, it is believed that a version of Kho-Kho known as Ratha was played on chariots. The modern form of the game was invented in 1914, with its rules and formal structure given by the Deccan Gymkhana Club in Pune. Kho-Kho was featured in the 1936 Berlin Olympics along with other traditional Indian sports. It is now a medal sport in the South Asian Games, which was played in the 2016 edition.
In July 2022, the player’s draft for Ultimate Kho-Kho, a six-team franchise-based Indian kho-kho tournament, was completed. Its inaugural session ran from 14 August to 4 September 2022.