The first phase of Isha Gramotsavam 2026, the rural sports festival organised by the Isha Foundation, will begin at more than 70 locations across Tamil Nadu from August 1.According to the release, the event will feature volleyball for men and throwball for women. The competitions will be held in cluster, divisional and final stages, with the State-level finale scheduled on the Adiyogi campus in Coimbatore on September 6.More than 80,000 participants from over 40,000 villages across 10 States and Puducherry are expected to take part. The total prize money for the tournament exceeded ₹1 crore with the winning teams receiving ₹5 lakh each.Swami Pulaka, coordinator of Isha Gramotsavam, said the festival aims to encourage rural sporting talent and promote community participation through sports. Eligible players can register at http://ishagramotsavam.sadguru.org Published - July 30, 2026 05:37 pm IST