NE SPORTS BUREAU
CHENNAI, JULY 12
India’s grassroots sporting movement is set for its biggest celebration yet as the 18th edition of Isha Gramotsavam prepares to bring together more than 80,000 rural athletes from over 40,000 villages across 10 states and the Union Territory of Puducherry, reaffirming sport as a powerful vehicle for community development, women’s empowerment and rural transformation.
- Khelo India-accredited rural sports festival targets 80,000 athletes from 10 states and Puducherry
- ₹1-crore prize pool to power India’s grassroots sporting ecosystem • More than 7,000 volleyball and throwball teams, including 15,000 women participants, set for action
- Telangana hosts the opening phase before all roads lead to Coimbatore for the September grand finale
- Tamil Nadu gears up to showcase India’s biggest celebration of rural sporting excellence
Accredited by Khelo India, the country’s premier rural sports festival will witness the participation of over 7,000 teams, including nearly 15,000 women athletes, competing for a total prize purse of ₹1 crore in volleyball and throwball competitions conducted across multiple phases before culminating in a spectacular Grand Finale at the Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore, from September 4 to 6.
Organised by Isha Outreach under its flagship Action for Rural Rejuvenation (ARR) initiative, the championship spans Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Puducherry, offering aspiring village athletes a national platform to showcase their talent while strengthening social bonds through sport.
Telangana opens the campaign
The Telangana leg begins with volleyball and throwball competitions across the Jangaon, Karimnagar, Siddipet, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri and Khammam clusters on July 18-19.
The second phase, scheduled on July 25-26, will see volleyball contests in Jagtial, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Nizamabad and Rangareddy, while Mahabubnagar, Medak, Sangareddy and Warangal will stage both volleyball and throwball events. Throwball competitions will also be held in Nalgonda and Rajanna Sircilla.
Winning teams from the state-level competitions will qualify for the prestigious national finals in Coimbatore.
Tamil Nadu gears up for the grand finale
For Tamil Nadu, the spotlight shifts to Coimbatore, which will once again host the country’s largest rural sports extravaganza at the Isha Yoga Center from September 4 to 6. Thousands of athletes, coaches, volunteers and spectators from across India are expected to converge in the city, making it one of the biggest sporting gatherings in the state’s annual calendar.
The finale will celebrate not only sporting excellence but also rural culture, teamwork and community participation, reinforcing Tamil Nadu’s position as a leading destination for grassroots sporting initiatives.
Registrations remain open for eligible rural athletes through the official Gramotsavam portal. (ishagramotsavam.sadhguru.org)
