Manikandan, who was selected as the best athlete of the Isha Gramotsavam-2025 sports festival, has been invited to attend the main training camp of the Chennai Blitz team, which participates in the country’s leading volleyball series, the Prime Volleyball League.
In a letter from the Chennai Blitz team regarding this,
“We sincerely appreciate the remarkable work that Isha Gramotsavam is doing to foster a culture of sports across India. Our association with Isha Gramotsavam over the past year has been a testament to our shared mission of creating opportunities for talented athletes in rural areas. This opportunity for Manikandan is not only a recognition of his individual talent, but also of the talent of thousands of rural athletes being developed through Isha Gramotsavam,” it said.
Manikandan is from Uttamacholapuram panchayat in Salem district. He impressed everyone with his vibrant play in the Gramovatsavam volleyball tournament last year. His team won the final. Manikandan was selected as the best player. Manikandan, who has shown his talent in rural sports tournaments, has now got the opportunity to train with national and international players at the Chennai Blitz team’s training camp.
In a congratulatory message issued by Isha Foundation founder Sadhguru regarding this exam,
“My heartfelt congratulations to Manikandan and the Chennai Blitz team for recognizing rural talent and bringing them to the premier sports arena. This recognition will provide inspiration and momentum to further expand Isha Gramotsavam across rural India.”
The annual Isha Gramotsava sports festival, guided by Sadhguru, aims to promote sports among rural people, eradicate drug addiction among youth, empower rural women through sports, and strengthen social cohesion across caste lines.
