Chandigarh, July 24 — Sadhguru's Isha Gramotsavam, which is turning sports into a way of life in rural India, will be making its debut in Haryana this month, bringing the spirit of rural sports and community celebrations together.
Swami Pulaka, national coordinator of Isha Gramotsavam, told the media here on Thursday that Isha Gramotsavam, which has been held over the years, has witnessed inspiring transformations beyond the playing field.
"Villages have come together in celebration, women have stepped out to participate with wholehearted support from their families, and communities have become stronger through the spirit of sport. We have also seen many participants choosing healthier lifestyles, gradually moving away from unhealthy habits and addictions."
He said that Haryana already has a proud sporting legacy, and "we hope Isha Gramotsavam will further strengthen that culture at the grassroots, bringing villages together, inspiring rural youth and women, and creating an occasion where every community can celebrate, compete and grow together".
The tournament will follow a multi-stage format comprising cluster-level matches, divisional rounds and the grand finale.
In Haryana, cluster-level matches will be held on July 25-26 in Panipat, Karnal, Ambala, while Hisar and Kurukshetra will host cluster matches on August 1-2.
The divisional rounds will be held on August 9 in Karnal with the qualifying team from Haryana advancing to the grand finale from September 4-6 at the Isha Yoga Center Coimbatore, in front of the iconic Adiyogi.
Unlike professional sporting events, Isha Gramotsavam is exclusively for everyday rural citizens -- from farmers and daily-wage earners to homemakers and students.
Anuj Jaglan, 29, dairy farmer from Jondhan Kalan village of Panipat and a Gramotsavam participant, said, "When I heard about Isha Gramotsavam, a few boys from our village and I formed a team and registered as it was free of cost. Within a few days, we noticed a positive change. Instead of spending evenings on mobile phones, we started to come together to practice."
"In villages, addictions like hookah are very common, but Gramotsavam gives rural youth a direction through sports. When others see their friends playing and enjoying the game, they too are inspired to step onto the field instead of falling into unhealthy habits. If even a few young lives change because of this, it will be a victory beyond the tournament," Jaglan told the media.
Isha Gramotsavam has a prize pool of more than Rs 1 crore which includes cash awards at the cluster, divisional and grand finale stages.
At the cluster level, the winning team will receive Rs 10,000, the runners-up Rs 7,000, while the third and fourth-placed teams will receive Rs 5,000 and Rs 3,000 respectively.
Teams qualifying from the cluster level will advance to the divisional rounds, where the winners will receive Rs 15,000, the runners-up Rs 10,000, the third-placed team Rs 6,000 and the fourth-placed team Rs 4,000.
At the grand finale, the winning volleyball and throwball teams will receive Rs 5 lakh each, while the runners-up will receive Rs 3 lakh.
The third and fourth-placed teams will receive Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50,000, respectively.
Separate prize money has also been earmarked for the Paralympic category.
One of the inspiring stories from Haryana's inaugural edition of Isha Gramotsavam is that of a 66-year-old farmer named Jalpati, from Waiser village in Panipat.
Defying age-related stereotypes, she has registered for the tournament and is bringing together a women's throwball team from her village.
Her enthusiasm reflects how Isha Gramotsavam is becoming a platform for women across generations to step onto the playing field with confidence, inspiring more women to participate and strengthening the spirit of community through sport.
Besides Haryana, Isha Outreach under its Action for Rural Rejuvenation initiative the tournament will be held across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Puducherry.