Isha Gramotsavam Finale to Showcase Rural Sporting Talent in Front of Adiyogi on September 23

Coimbatore: Isha Gramotsavam, a social initiative by Sadhguru, aimed at bringing the spirit of sports and playfulness into the lives of rural people, is all set for its spectacular finale in front of the iconic 112-feet Adiyogi, Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore on September 23. Anurag Thakur, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports of India and Sadhguru, Founder- Isha Foundation, will grace the momentous occasion witnessing the display of India’s rural sporting prowess.

The finals of the four major sports competitions, namely, Men’s Volleyball Tournament, Women’s Throwball Tournaments and the Kabbadi Tournament for both men and women, will be held from 9AM to 5PM, in front of Adiyogi. Teams selected from the divisional level matches, from the five states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry will compete in these matches.

“The unique aspect of Isha Gramotsavam is that all players in the team are from the same village. This is not a tournament for professional players but is a platform which encourages everyone to play. From encouraging everyone to take up some form of a game, to rekindling the fun of rural games and reviving dying traditional art forms, the whole initiative is carefully crafted so that the entire village comes together as a celebration and brings back the zest of rural life,” says Swami Nakuja, part of organising team of Isha Gramotsavam.

Thousands of people from all over Tamil Nadu are expected to visit Isha tomorrow to watch the matches. Apart from the main sports competitions, various traditional games such as vazhuku maram, Gopal Kala, tug-of-war, sport competitions for children and rangoli competitions will be held from 10 AM to 3 PM for the participation of the spectators. Also there will be various traditional arts performances like, Karakattam, Oyilattam, and Poikkaal Kuthirai Aattam. A rural food fest will also be held. The public is free to participate in this festival celebrating rural life.

The Volleyball team winning the final will grab a prize money of Rs 5 lakhs, and the players of Throwball finals will be felicitated with Rs 2 lakhs. The winners of the men’s and women’s Kabbadi teams will win Rs 5 lakhs and 2 lakhs respectively along with certificates of appreciation.

The event will be telecasted live on leading Tamil TV channels and Isha's official YouTube channels.

The 15th edition of Isha Gramotsavam has seen the participation of over 60,000 players. With over 10,000 rural women, mostly householders, participating in events like Kabaddi and Throwball, Isha Gramotsavam stands as a testament to a silent revolution, empowering rural women in Bharat.