‘Telangana to become sports powerhouse’

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Telangana is taking steps to emerge as a sports powerhouse by integrating sports education, scientific training and research through the proposed Young India Physical Education and Sports University (YIPESU), Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, Fisheries and Youth Services & Sports Vakiti Srihari said on Saturday. The Minister was responding to questions raised by Legislative Council members Balmoor Venkata Narsing Rao, Mahesh Kumar and Sripal Reddy.

Srihari said the primary objective of YIPESU was to identify sporting talent at the grassroots level and provide athletes with scientific training, advanced coaching and access to sports science, medicine, physical education and research under one roof.

He said the State was forging partnerships with leading national and international sports institutions to develop the university on global standards. Steps had also been taken to collaborate with the Korea National Sport University (KNSU), particularly in areas related to sports science and employment opportunities.

The Minister said YIPESU courses would go beyond conventional coaching and equip athletes with modern sports science, technology and research-based training. High-Performance Centres would also be established to prepare Telangana athletes for global competitions, including the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. He said the government’s objective was to ensure that sporting talent was not restricted to urban centres and that promising athletes from every village had access to opportunities. Plans include upgrading rural sports grounds, modernising existing facilities, providing equipment, identifying talent from the school level and conducting talent-scouting programmes at mandal and district levels.

Training and support would also be extended to local coaches and physical education teachers, with focus on disciplines including athletics, hockey, football, volleyball, kabaddi and kho-kho. Highlighting the success of the CM Cup, Srihari said the 2024 edition recorded 2.9 lakh registrations across 36 disciplines, with an expenditure of Rs.12 crore. In 2025, registrations rose to 5.42 lakh across 46 disciplines, with an expenditure of Rs.38.50 crore.