Isha Gramotsavam: Reviving the Rural Sports Spirit

The 17th edition of Isha Gramotsavam, celebrated as India's largest rural sports festival, is set to commence on August 10 in Mysore. This year, the event spans over 35,000 villages across six states, welcoming the new entrant Odisha, alongside Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telengana, and Puducherry.

Envisioned by spiritual leader Sadhguru, Isha Gramotsavam will see the participation of over 6000 teams and more than 50,000 athletes, including 5,000 women. The festival will feature men's volleyball and women's throwball, progressing from cluster-level matches to divisional rounds, culminating in a grand final on September 21 at the Adiyogi, Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore.

Swami Pulaka, an Isha Brahmachari and coordinator, emphasized the festival's aim to revive India's rural sporting spirit. Notably, professional players are excluded, and participation is exclusive to rural individuals. The tournament offers a prize pool of Rs 67 lakh. Besides sports, it includes fun rural games and cultural activities.

(With inputs from agencies.)