Isha Gramotsavam 2025: Mansukh Mandaviya, Sadhguru & sports icons to unit for the finale

The 17th edition of Isha Gramotsavam, Bharat’s largest rural sports festival, is set for a spectacular grand finale on 21 September 2025 at the iconic Adiyogi, Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore. The event will be graced by spiritual leader Sadhguru, Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, ace shuttler Saina Nehwal, chess Grandmaster Vaishali Rameshbabu, and para-Olympian Bhavina Patel. The finale will be livestreamed on Isha Foundation’s YouTube channel, opening the celebration to audiences worldwide.

This year’s Gramotsavam unfolded across 183 locations in six states and one union territory, drawing an overwhelming 63,220 participants, including more than 12,000 women, forming 5,472 teams from over 35,000 villages. The unique tournament, launched by Sadhguru in 2004, is exclusively for non-professionals, giving rural men and women—from daily wage earners to homemakers and fishermen—a platform to embrace the unifying spirit of sports.

The run-up to the finale has seen 24 men’s volleyball and 18 women’s throwball teams battle it out in the semi-finals. The grand showdown will also spotlight inclusivity with a para-volleyball exhibition match, bringing differently-abled athletes into the sporting limelight.

Taking to social media ahead of the finale, Sadhguru expressed joy at the massive participation of women:

“It is most heartening that 12,227 women are participating in this edition of #IshaGramotsavam. Many of them have not played a game since they were 8 or 10 years of age, some of them have never touched a ball in their lives until now. It is an absolute joy to watch their spirited and carefree involvement in the game.”

The celebrations extend beyond sports. Cultural highlights include performances of Valli Kummi by 2,000 women, alongside folk traditions such as Oyilattam and Therukoothu from Tamil Nadu, Panchari Melam and Chenda Melam from Kerala, Kusadi dance from Telangana, and Puli Vesham from Karnataka. Visitors can also enjoy 30 food stalls serving authentic South Indian cuisine and participate in a rangoli competition, where the winner will receive ₹33,000 from Sadhguru.

A prize pool of ₹67 lakh awaits the sporting champions, with ₹5 lakh each for the men’s and women’s winners. Runners-up in each category will receive ₹3 lakh, ₹1 lakh, and ₹50,000, respectively.

Recognised as a National Sports Promotion Organization (NSPO) by the Government of India’s Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Isha Outreach has made Isha Gramotsavam a landmark event in India’s cultural and sporting calendar. Over the years, the festival has attracted the support and presence of legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, and Karnam Malleswari, while icons such as Neeraj Chopra, Mithali Raj, PV Sindhu, and Shikhar Dhawan have lent their voices to the movement.

The 2025 edition of Isha Gramotsavam stands as a testament to the power of grassroots sports to unite communities, celebrate inclusivity, and rekindle the joy of play across rural Bharat.