“Every rural game represents not just the village, but the whole of India. This is the soul of Isha Gramotsavam, showing us the journey from village to world,” said Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya at the grand finale of Isha Gramotsavam at Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore, on Sunday.
“I came to Isha Gramotsavam to learn from Sadhguru how he organised an event at this scale,” he added. The 17th edition of Isha Gramotsavam spanned 183 locations over two months, featuring 63,220 participants, including more than 12,000 women players. For the first time, the festival reached Odisha, alongside Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana and the Union Territory of Puducherry. A total of 5,472 teams from more than 35,000 villages took part.
Shuttler Saina Nehwal, chess grandmaster Vaishali Rameshbabu, and para-Olympian Bhavina Patel took part in the event. Highlighting the uplifting spirit of sports and the importance of playfulness in life, Sadhguru said, “If our population is strong, vibrant, competent and inspired, we can be the greatest miracle on this planet. If there is playfulness, you can carry even an empty stomach joyfully. And if you want to be successful, your body and mind must function at their best.”
Published – September 22, 2025 06:40 pm IST