Mallakhamb, a form of aerial yoga or gymnastics where athletes perform on a vertical pillar, has launched a campaign to be part of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles ©Getty Images

The ancient Indian sport of mallakhamb has launched a campaign to be involved in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

The Mallakhamb Federation of USA is looking to gather support from National Federations to push for the martial art to form part of the Games in four years’ time according to a report by The Times of India.

Mallakhamb is a form of aerial yoga or gymnastics where athletes perform on a vertical pillar.

It has previously made an appearance at the Olympics when it joined several indigenous Indian sports in being demonstrated at Berlin 1936.

The MFU is working in collaboration with the Maharashtra Olympic Association (MOA) over pushing for a role at Los Angeles 2028. 

"The Maharashtra Olympic Association is committed to supporting native Indian sports like mallakhamb and making it a part of the Olympic Movement," a statement from the MOA read.

"Mallakhamb is an integral part of our national games and is a way of life for Indians.

"We would be extremely delighted and proud to globalise our sport in the international arena to enable the world to enjoy its benefits and participate in it.

"Our endeavour at the MOA is not only to introduce mallakhamb as an exhibitive sport but make it a permanent fixture at the Olympics.

"We hope this initiative will fructify and lead us to our destination."

Mallakhamb is set to feature in a documentary which has been produced by Indian actor and producer Raqesh Bapet.

Bapet said he wanted to shine a light on the sport and the Mallakhamb Federation of the USA.

"Mallakhamb to Olympics is our vision," said Bapet in a report by Urban Asian.

"Only then this documentary will be a success.

"Our aim is to make these players reach the LA Olympics in 2028."

The first-ever Mallakhamb World Championships was staged in 2019, with India playing host.

Basketball was a demonstration sport becoming an Olympic medal event ©Getty Images
Basketball was a demonstration sport becoming an Olympic medal event ©Getty Images

Demonstration sports used to be a regular feature of the Olympics - with 17 of them going on to later become medal events, including badminton, basketball, boxing, canoeing, gymnastics and taekwondo. 

The more unusual demonstration sports to have featured have included fire fighting and pigeon shooting

But the International Olympic Committee scrapped the idea of demonstration sports after Barcelona 1992, when they included roller hockey and Basque pelota.