Youth Sports Festival
Hyderabad: As part of the Praja Palana – Pragati Pranalika initiative, the Youth Sports Festival officially concluded on a grand note at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday, May 22.
The week-long programme organised by the Telangana government focused on identifying and promoting a healthy lifestyle among the youth and emphasised skill development and career opportunities.
The festival witnessed enthusiastic participation from athletes, students, youth and parents from across the state.
Addressing the gathering, Telangana Sports Authority Shivasena Reddy said the primary objective of the initiative was to identify hidden talent among Telangana’s youth and provide them with opportunities and institutional support.
He described Telangana as a land of immense talent and said the government was committed to bringing deserving youth into the spotlight from every corner of the state.
The Youth Sports Festival was one of the programmes currently being implemented under the umbrella of the 99-day “Praja Palana – Pragati Pranalika” campaign.
Appointment letters were also distributed during the event to candidates selected through the job melas held in Hyderabad and other district headquarters. The winners were given medals and trophies for their participation in the Sports Day celebrations on May 21. Certificates of appreciation were awarded to participants who excelled in sports, youth engagement, cultural, and awareness activities conducted over the six-day festival.
The companies supporting job melas and youth employment initiatives were felicitated during the event. Managing Director of the Sports Authority and Commissioner of Youth Services, Dr Soni Bala Devi, said that 11 job melas were conducted from May 1 to 12 across district centres.
Almost 40,000 youth have registered and received an encouraging response from the unemployed youth, she said, adding that over 300 private companies participated and shortlisted approximately 11,200 deserving youth.
Dr Devi observed that from May 18 to 23, each day of the Youth Sports Festival was dedicated to a specific theme focusing on sports, youth empowerment, skill development, employment opportunities, and community participation
More than 22,000 job seekers attended the fairs, over 11,000 were shortlisted, and 5,700 were given provisional offer letters issued on May 23. Dr Devi highlighted that events saw collaboration between various departments, including Sports and Youth Services, Industries, Information Technology, and district administrative machinery.
According to her, the programme succeeded in creating greater awareness about sports and healthy lifestyles among young people while also connecting them with career and skill-development opportunities.
This post was last modified on May 23, 2026 10:04 pm