Isha Gramotsavam Grand Finale: SM Mansukh Mandaviya, Saina Nehwal to attend India’s largest rural sports festival

Isha ​​Gramotsavam 2025 was held at 183 venues across six states,Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, and Odisha, and one union territory, Puducherry.

Coimbatore: The 17th edition of Isha Gramotsavam, India's largest rural sports festival, is approaching its grand finale. The grand event will be held on 21 September at Adiyogi, Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore. Sadhguru, Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, legendary badminton player Saina Nehwal, chess Grandmaster Vaishali Rameshbabu, and Paralympian Bhavina Patel will be special guests. The event will also be broadcast live on the Isha Foundation's YouTube channel.

Celebrating Sporting Talent of Rural India

Isha ​​Gramotsavam 2025 was held at 183 venues across six states—Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, and Odisha, and one union territory, Puducherry. A total of 63,220 participants took part in the festival, including over 12,000 women. These participants formed 5,472 teams representing over 35,000 villages. The tournament was held in three stages, cluster, divisional, and finale.

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Excitement of Competitions

The grand finale was preceded by semi-finals on September 19th and 20th, where 24 men's volleyball and 18 women's throwball teams from rural India faced off. This year, the finale will also feature a para-volleyball competition for athletes with disabilities. Winners will receive ₹5 lakh each in both the men's and women's categories, with a total prize pool of Rs 67 lakh.

Cultural Colors to Add to Sports

In addition to sports, the Isha Gramotsavam will also celebrate the cultural heritage of rural India. The traditional dance, Valli Kummi, will be performed by 2,000 women from Tamil Nadu. There will also be cultural programs such as folk dances like Oyilattam, Therukkuthu, Panchari Melam and Chenda Melam from Kerala, Kusadi dance from Telangana, and Puli Vesham from Karnataka. Visitors can enjoy South Indian cuisine at over 30 food stalls.

Rangoli and Traditional Games, in Addition to Sports

A Rangoli competition will be held during the finale, open to the public. The winner will receive ₹33,000 from Sadhguru, and all participants will receive a saree as a prize. Over 25 traditional games, including Pallanguzhi, Mani Nadai, climbing a slippery pole, and breaking a pot, will also be held.

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Objective and Support of Isha Gramotsavam

Started by Sadhguru in 2004, this festival strives to bring a spirit of play and playfulness into the lives of rural people. This event is not for professionals, but rather serves as a platform to connect ordinary people, including rural laborers, fishermen, and housewives, through play. Isha Outreach, which organizes the festival, is recognized as a National Sports Promotion Organization (NSPO) by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.

Sports personalities like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Olympic medalists Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, and Karnam Malleswari have previously attended the finals of the sports festival as special guests. Neeraj Chopra, Mithali Raj, PV Sindhu, Shikhar Dhawan, and Javagal Srinath have expressed their support for Isha Gramotsav.

"The participation of 12,227 women in this edition is highly commendable, many of whom are taking up sports for the first time," Sadhguru said on social media.