Sadhguru’s Isha Gramotsavam 2026 to Bring Together Over 7,000 Participants Across Odisha

– This year’s Isha Gramotsavam is expected to witness participation from over 80,000 people from more than 40,000 villages across 10 states and one Union Territory.

– The tournament will follow a multi-stage format comprising Cluster-level matches, Divisional rounds and the Grand Finale.

– In Odisha, cluster-matches will be held from July 18 to August 2, followed by Divisional rounds on August 16.

Bhubaneswar (Odisha Tazanews) :- Isha Gramotsavam, Bharat’s biggest rural sports festival, is set to return to Odisha this year with record participation. Around 7,000 participants, including players, referees, coaches, cultural performers and participants in fun games, are expected to take part, nearly doubling last year’s participation of 3,500. More than 5,600 players forming nearly 800 teams are expected to compete across the state. The tournament is happening in seven clusters – Cuttack, Puri, Khorda, Mayurbanj, Bolangir, Dhenkanal, Sundargarh – while participation is happening from across the state.To encourage greater women’s participation, throwball training camps were conducted in Khordha, Baripada, Sundargarh, Rourkela, Rajgangpur and Raikakachhar, drawing around 580 participants. A press conference was held today in Bhubaneswar by Isha Outreach to share more details about this year’s initiative and schedule. Envisioned by Sadhguru, Isha Gramotsavam aims to revive the spirit of rural India while fostering community, tradition and healthy competition.

Unlike professional sporting events, Gramotsavam is exclusively for everyday rural citizens, from farmers, fishermen to daily-wage earners, artisans and homemakers, offering them an opportunity to step away from routine life and experience the unifying power of sport and culture. The 18th edition of Isha Gramotsavam is expected to bring together over 80,000 participants from more than 40,000 villages across 10 states and one Union Territory.

Accredited by Khelo India, this year’s tournament will feature more than 7,000 teams, including an estimated 15,000 women participants across the country, and offer a total prize pool of over ₹1 crore. Organised by Isha Outreach under its Action for Rural Rejuvenation initiative, the tournament will be held across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Puducherry.

This year’s edition will feature volleyball for men and throwball for women. Participation is open to rural players who have not represented their state or India at the national or international level. All players must belong to the same Gram Panchayat. Volleyball players must be at least 14 years of age, while throwball players must be at least 13 years old. In the women’s throwball category, each team may include up to three players below 21 years of age.

The tournament will follow a multi-stage format comprising Cluster-level matches, Divisional rounds, Semi-finals and the Grand Finale. Cluster-level matches will begin in the second week of July across participating states. In Odisha, they will be held from July 18 to August 2, followed by Divisional rounds on August 16. Winning teams will advance to the Grand Finale, to be held from September 4 to 6 at the Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore, in front of the iconic Adiyogi.

The prize pool of over ₹1 crore includes cash awards at the Cluster, Divisional and Grand Finale stages. At the Cluster level, the winning team will receive ₹10,000, the runners-up ₹7,000, while the third and fourth-placed teams will receive ₹5,000 and ₹3,000, respectively. The teams qualifying in clusters will advance to divisional matches. At the Divisional level, the winners will receive ₹15,000, the runners-up ₹10,000, the third-placed team ₹6,000, and the fourth-placed team ₹4,000.

At the Grand Finale, the winning volleyball and throwball teams will receive ₹5 lakh each, while the runners-up will receive ₹3 lakh. Third and fourth-placed teams will receive ₹1 lakh and ₹50,000, respectively. Separate prize money has also been earmarked for the Paralympic category. Isha Gramotsavam aims to strengthen rural communities through sport by fostering teamwork, inclusivity and grassroots talent. Over the years, the tournament has steadily expanded its reach while encouraging greater participation among women and first-time athletes.