Gramotsavam Blog

article

23 Jun 2026 | 5 minutes

From the Fishing Nets to Professional Volleyball: Manikandan's Story

Read how Mani, a young athlete from a village near Salem, transformed a dream sparked at Isha Gramotsavam into an opportunity with Chennai Blitz, a professional volleyball team playing in the Prime Volleyball League.

video

14 Jun 2025 | 4.21 minutes

Gramotsavam 2024 – Bharat's Biggest Festival of Sports & Culture

Conducted as a celebration of traditional village life, Isha Gramotsavam aims to invigorate the spirit of rural India by bringing sport into people's lives

video

20 Dec 2024 | 5.22 minutes

Isha Gramotsavam: From Practice Grounds to Championship

From hesitant beginnings to championship victories, this is a journey of empowerment, practice, and perseverance.

video

26 Nov 2020 | 3.11 minutes

If You Take Yourself Too Seriously, You Are One Big Joke!

Sadhguru says, "The secret of life is to see everything with a non-serious eye, but to be absolutely involved. Like a sport."

article

12 Jan 2020 | 3 minutes

Fourteenth Isha Gramotsavam – The Largest Sporting Arena of Rural Tamil Nadu!

4000 villages - 40,000 players - INR 62 lakhs in prizes. The fourteenth Isha Gramotsavam is poised to be the largest sporting arena for Tamil Nadu Villages!

article

12 Jan 2020 | 7 minutes

Isha Gramotsavam 2016 – A Day of Sport, Rural Spirit, and Celebration!

The Isha Gramotsavam finale event on September 4 featured the final rounds of a state-wide inter-village sports tournament and much more!

article

12 Jan 2020 | 5 minutes

Why Are Youth Turning to Alcohol and Drugs?

Screenwriter and film director Nag Ashwin asks Sadhguru about the increase in alcohol and drug addiction among young people. Sadhguru outlines the many reasons why more youth are turning to substances, and offers simple solutions to help them learn t

article

9 Jan 2020 | 18 seconds

Can a Ball Really Change the World?

A very touching story that emerged was that of the ladies who came from Sontyam, a village in Andhra Pradesh. Against all odds, they cleared all their preliminary matches and made it to the grand finale.

article

10 May 2019 | 2 minutes

Rural Sports Festival

Under the aegis of Isha Yoga Centre of Gobichettipalayam and Sanjeevi youth association of Anna Nagar, the rural sports festival was conducted on June 23rd and 24th. This year around 1600 participants from nearly 200 villages around Gobichettipalayam

article

10 May 2019 | 1 minute

Rural Games in Isha Outreach

Rural games happened in Kullapanaickanur last month to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Isha Rural Health Clinic’s inauguration. 16 teams from the villages around Kullapanaickanur participated in the event.

article

7 May 2019 | 1 minute

Games that Uplift and Unite – District Round of the Rural Rejuvenation Cup 2008

A district level tournament of the Fifth Rural Rejuvenation Cup was held on 4 to 5 May 2008 in Pudukaraipudur village, Gobi taluk. This two-day…

video

16 Dec 2018 | 220.40 minutes

Isha Gramotsavam 2018

Watch the archive of the live streaming of fourteenth Isha Gramotsavam celebrations at Erode, Tamil Nadu.

article

6 Dec 2018 | 5 minutes

How Sports Can Build the Nation

Can sports really play a role in developing the nation? Sadhguru discusses how introducing sports and games has transformed rural communities in Tamil Nadu through Isha’s Action for Rural Rejuvenation, allowing people to joyfully come together beyond thoughts of caste and social status. Building a strong nation, he says, first requires building strong and healthy people.

article

15 Sep 2018 | 1 minute

How to Make India More Sporting?

Champion shooter Abhinav Bindra asks Sadhguru how to transform India into a more sporting nation.

video

5 Sep 2018 | 2.26 minutes

How Can India Become Sporting Nation

Olympic gold medalist, Abhinav Bindra, asks Sadhguru how we can make India into a great sporting nation.

video

28 Aug 2018 | 6.24 minutes

How Can Youth Beat Stress and Be Happy

Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore, Minister of State (I/C) Youth Affairs & Sports, wants to know the truth about youth and happiness.

article

20 Nov 2017 | 3 minutes

Competition for Communal Harmony?

Can competition and the spirit of contest lead to the coming together of communities?

article

27 Aug 2017 | 3 minutes

Are You Game Life?

On the occasion of the inauguration of Vajra, a new sports facility at Isha Home School, Sadhguru joined the students to play a few games, after which he spoke about the significance of sports and of bringing intensity of involvement into every aspect of life.

article

6 Sep 2016 | 7 minutes

Play for Life

On this week’s Spot, Sadhguru shares why sports and games have a great transformative power, what we can learn from games with respect to all other aspects of life, and why a sense of playfulness not only enhances our own lives but even social and national progress. View our slideshow with photos from Isha Gramotsavam 2016, an exuberant celebration of rural sporting spirit and village life.

article

20 Aug 2016 | 21 seconds

Sadhguru’s Quotes on Sport

Take a deeper look at how sports and games can impact health and happiness, and even transform lives with these quotes from Sadhguru.

article

4 Nov 2015 | 3 minutes

Sports for Leadership

Sadhguru explains how sports is the perfect medium to cultivate leadership in people.

video

9 Sep 2015 | 19.47 minutes

How Sports Can Transform India

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar and Sadhguru speak at Isha Gramotsavam 2015 - a celebration of rural culture.

article

8 Sep 2015 | 2 minutes

Gramotsavam - Breaking through Caste and Creed

In this week’s Spot, Sadhguru writes about Gramotsavam and Sachin Tendulkar’s participation in inspiring transformation through rural games. “We want to take this movement of revitalizing and transforming rural India through sport to greater heights. Discrimination of caste, creed and gender has been broken…” A slideshow of the grand event is included. Enjoy!

article

3 Sep 2015 | 8 minutes

Isha’s Social Projects

Isha Gramotsavam, a celebration of rural life and rejuvenation is taking place on September 4, in Coimbatore. In this article, Sadhguru looks at the many social initiatives of Isha Foundation and why they have been created.

video

1 Sep 2015 | 3.14 minutes

How Sports Inspires Transformation In Society

Sadhguru looks at how Isha Foundation's work in bringing sports into the lives of rural communities in Tamil Nadu has led to so many changes in terms of the environment, society and even financial situations.

article

31 Aug 2015 | 4 minutes

Are You Game For Life?

Sadhguru looks at how sports can be truly life-transforming, and speaks of how it has brought about a huge change in rural Tamil Nadu.

article

17 Jun 2013 | 3 minutes

Integrity and Involvement in Sport – II

Here's why you should make sports and games an integral part of your life.

article

10 Jun 2013 | 2 minutes

Integrity and Involvement in Sport - I

This week we start a new series on Sadhguru's perspective of the importance of sports in our lives. Read on to find out what he has to say about cheating in a sport.

article

8 Feb 2011 | 1 minute

Be a Sport

In this week’s Spot, Sadhguru speaks about the willingness to play. “The sacredness of a sporting event is that individuals rise beyond their limitations, achieving a state of abandon that is usually known only at the peak of spirituality. Thus, sports have always been a part of Isha, all our programs have an element of play – as to play is to live, and to live is to play.”

article

23 Jun 2026 | 5 minutes

From the Fishing Nets to Professional Volleyball: Manikandan's Story

Read how Mani, a young athlete from a village near Salem, transformed a dream sparked at Isha Gramotsavam into an opportunity with Chennai Blitz, a professional volleyball team playing in the Prime Volleyball League.

video

14 Jun 2025 | 4.21 minutes

Gramotsavam 2024 – Bharat's Biggest Festival of Sports & Culture

Conducted as a celebration of traditional village life, Isha Gramotsavam aims to invigorate the spirit of rural India by bringing sport into people's lives

video

20 Dec 2024 | 5.22 minutes

Isha Gramotsavam: From Practice Grounds to Championship

From hesitant beginnings to championship victories, this is a journey of empowerment, practice, and perseverance.

video

26 Nov 2020 | 3.11 minutes

If You Take Yourself Too Seriously, You Are One Big Joke!

Sadhguru says, "The secret of life is to see everything with a non-serious eye, but to be absolutely involved. Like a sport."

article

12 Jan 2020 | 3 minutes

Fourteenth Isha Gramotsavam – The Largest Sporting Arena of Rural Tamil Nadu!

4000 villages - 40,000 players - INR 62 lakhs in prizes. The fourteenth Isha Gramotsavam is poised to be the largest sporting arena for Tamil Nadu Villages!

article

12 Jan 2020 | 7 minutes

Isha Gramotsavam 2016 – A Day of Sport, Rural Spirit, and Celebration!

The Isha Gramotsavam finale event on September 4 featured the final rounds of a state-wide inter-village sports tournament and much more!

article

12 Jan 2020 | 5 minutes

Why Are Youth Turning to Alcohol and Drugs?

Screenwriter and film director Nag Ashwin asks Sadhguru about the increase in alcohol and drug addiction among young people. Sadhguru outlines the many reasons why more youth are turning to substances, and offers simple solutions to help them learn t

article

9 Jan 2020 | 18 seconds

Can a Ball Really Change the World?

A very touching story that emerged was that of the ladies who came from Sontyam, a village in Andhra Pradesh. Against all odds, they cleared all their preliminary matches and made it to the grand finale.

article

10 May 2019 | 2 minutes

Rural Sports Festival

Under the aegis of Isha Yoga Centre of Gobichettipalayam and Sanjeevi youth association of Anna Nagar, the rural sports festival was conducted on June 23rd and 24th. This year around 1600 participants from nearly 200 villages around Gobichettipalayam

article

10 May 2019 | 1 minute

Rural Games in Isha Outreach

Rural games happened in Kullapanaickanur last month to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Isha Rural Health Clinic’s inauguration. 16 teams from the villages around Kullapanaickanur participated in the event.

article

7 May 2019 | 1 minute

Games that Uplift and Unite – District Round of the Rural Rejuvenation Cup 2008

A district level tournament of the Fifth Rural Rejuvenation Cup was held on 4 to 5 May 2008 in Pudukaraipudur village, Gobi taluk. This two-day…

video

16 Dec 2018 | 220.40 minutes

Isha Gramotsavam 2018

Watch the archive of the live streaming of fourteenth Isha Gramotsavam celebrations at Erode, Tamil Nadu.

article

6 Dec 2018 | 5 minutes

How Sports Can Build the Nation

Can sports really play a role in developing the nation? Sadhguru discusses how introducing sports and games has transformed rural communities in Tamil Nadu through Isha’s Action for Rural Rejuvenation, allowing people to joyfully come together beyond thoughts of caste and social status. Building a strong nation, he says, first requires building strong and healthy people.

article

15 Sep 2018 | 1 minute

How to Make India More Sporting?

Champion shooter Abhinav Bindra asks Sadhguru how to transform India into a more sporting nation.

video

5 Sep 2018 | 2.26 minutes

How Can India Become Sporting Nation

Olympic gold medalist, Abhinav Bindra, asks Sadhguru how we can make India into a great sporting nation.

video

28 Aug 2018 | 6.24 minutes

How Can Youth Beat Stress and Be Happy

Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore, Minister of State (I/C) Youth Affairs & Sports, wants to know the truth about youth and happiness.

article

20 Nov 2017 | 3 minutes

Competition for Communal Harmony?

Can competition and the spirit of contest lead to the coming together of communities?

article

27 Aug 2017 | 3 minutes

Are You Game Life?

On the occasion of the inauguration of Vajra, a new sports facility at Isha Home School, Sadhguru joined the students to play a few games, after which he spoke about the significance of sports and of bringing intensity of involvement into every aspect of life.

article

6 Sep 2016 | 7 minutes

Play for Life

On this week’s Spot, Sadhguru shares why sports and games have a great transformative power, what we can learn from games with respect to all other aspects of life, and why a sense of playfulness not only enhances our own lives but even social and national progress. View our slideshow with photos from Isha Gramotsavam 2016, an exuberant celebration of rural sporting spirit and village life.

article

20 Aug 2016 | 21 seconds

Sadhguru’s Quotes on Sport

Take a deeper look at how sports and games can impact health and happiness, and even transform lives with these quotes from Sadhguru.

article

4 Nov 2015 | 3 minutes

Sports for Leadership

Sadhguru explains how sports is the perfect medium to cultivate leadership in people.

video

9 Sep 2015 | 19.47 minutes

How Sports Can Transform India

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar and Sadhguru speak at Isha Gramotsavam 2015 - a celebration of rural culture.

article

8 Sep 2015 | 2 minutes

Gramotsavam - Breaking through Caste and Creed

In this week’s Spot, Sadhguru writes about Gramotsavam and Sachin Tendulkar’s participation in inspiring transformation through rural games. “We want to take this movement of revitalizing and transforming rural India through sport to greater heights. Discrimination of caste, creed and gender has been broken…” A slideshow of the grand event is included. Enjoy!

article

3 Sep 2015 | 8 minutes

Isha’s Social Projects

Isha Gramotsavam, a celebration of rural life and rejuvenation is taking place on September 4, in Coimbatore. In this article, Sadhguru looks at the many social initiatives of Isha Foundation and why they have been created.

video

1 Sep 2015 | 3.14 minutes

How Sports Inspires Transformation In Society

Sadhguru looks at how Isha Foundation's work in bringing sports into the lives of rural communities in Tamil Nadu has led to so many changes in terms of the environment, society and even financial situations.

article

31 Aug 2015 | 4 minutes

Are You Game For Life?

Sadhguru looks at how sports can be truly life-transforming, and speaks of how it has brought about a huge change in rural Tamil Nadu.

article

17 Jun 2013 | 3 minutes

Integrity and Involvement in Sport – II

Here's why you should make sports and games an integral part of your life.

article

10 Jun 2013 | 2 minutes

Integrity and Involvement in Sport - I

This week we start a new series on Sadhguru's perspective of the importance of sports in our lives. Read on to find out what he has to say about cheating in a sport.

article

8 Feb 2011 | 1 minute

Be a Sport

In this week’s Spot, Sadhguru speaks about the willingness to play. “The sacredness of a sporting event is that individuals rise beyond their limitations, achieving a state of abandon that is usually known only at the peak of spirituality. Thus, sports have always been a part of Isha, all our programs have an element of play – as to play is to live, and to live is to play.”