- Total prize money of ₹ 67 lakhs will be awarded in India’s largest rural sports festival
- Spanning over 35,000 villages across Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Puducherry, and, for the first time, Odisha, the 2025 edition of Isha Gramotsavam will be grander!
- Sports can dissolve boundaries of caste, religion, and other identities through the joy of play: Sadhguru
- At the final stage, the top four teams will walk away with ₹5,00,000, ₹3,00,000, ₹1,00,000, and ₹50,000, respectively
NE SPORTS BUREAU
CHENNAI, AUG 6
The 17th edition of Isha Gramotsavam, India’s largest rural sports festival, will begin on August 16 in Tamil Nadu. The festival will be held across over 35,000 villages from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Puducherry, and, for the first time, Odisha. This year, the festival will see participation from over 50,000 rural participants, including more than 5,000 women players, forming over 6,000 teams.
Renowned Tamil poet, speaker, and writer Kalaimamani Marabin Mainthan Muthiah, along with Isha volunteers, addressed a press conference at the Chennai Press Club on Wednesday to share more details about the sports festival.
Speaking about the initiative, Sadhguru says, “Isha Gramotsavam is a celebration of life through sports. Sports have the power to unite people beyond social divides. It can dissolve boundaries of caste, religion, and other identities through the joy of play. This is not about becoming a great athlete but about living with a playful spirit throughout life. If you can throw a ball with full involvement and enthusiasm, that ball can change the world. You must experience the joy of playing with abandon.”
Like every year, the festival will unfold in three phases. Cluster-level matches will take place on August 16 and 17, followed by divisional-level competitions on September 7. The grand finale will be held on September 21 at the iconic Adiyogi at Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore. The final day will also include a para-volleyball competition, specially organized for differently-abled participants, underscoring the inclusive nature of the event.
A prize pool of ₹67 lakh has been announced for the festival. At the cluster level, the top four teams will receive ₹10,000, ₹7,000, ₹5,000, and ₹3,000, respectively. Divisional-level winners will receive ₹12,000, ₹8,000, ₹6,000, and ₹4,000. At the final stage, the top four teams will walk away with ₹5,00,000, ₹3,00,000, ₹1,00,000, and ₹50,000, respectively.
In addition to sports, Gramotsavam will also celebrate rural India’s rich cultural diversity. Traditional performances from different states will include Tamil Nadu’s Thavil-Nadaswaram, Valli Kummi and Oyilattam, Kerala’s Panchari Melam and Chenda Melam, Telangana’s tribal Gusadi dance, and Karnataka’s Puli Vesham. Public competitions such as Kolam drawing and Silambam will further add to the festive atmosphere.
Isha Gramotsavam was launched by Sadhguru in 2004 to rekindle the rural spirit of India by helping rural population break free from addictions, rise above caste, creed, and religious divisions, and to support women’s participation in community life. Unlike professional sporting events, Gramotsavam is meant for everyday rural citizens such as farmers, sanitation workers, fishermen, daily wage earners, and homemakers, offering them a platform to play, participate, and celebrate.
Organized by Isha Outreach, Isha Gramotsavam has earned national recognition for its impact on rural development and sports promotion. It is recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, as a ‘National Sports Promotion Organization (NSPO)’. In 2018, the initiative was awarded the prestigious ‘Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar’ for its outstanding contribution to sports at the grassroots level.
Over the years, the festival finals have seen participation and encouragement from legendary sports icons including Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Venkatesh Prasad, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, and Karnam Malleswari, further boosting the morale of rural players and celebrating the unifying power of sports.
