Hyderabad, February 20, 2026:

The State-Level Finals of the 2nd Edition of the Chief Minister’s Cup 2025 were grandly inaugurated at the Gachibowli Stadium, Hyderabad. The event was attended by Sri Vakiti Srihari, Hon’ble Minister for Sports & Youth Services, Government of Telangana; Sri Shivasena Reddy, Chairman, Sports Authority of Telangana; and Dr. A. Sonibala Devi, Managing Director, Sports Authority of Telangana, who formally declared the state-level competitions open.

The tournament has witnessed a remarkable 5,15,936 registrations from across Telangana. Out of these, 21,500 athletes qualified for the state-level finals after successfully progressing through mandal and district-level competitions. The finals, being held from February 19 to 26, feature competitions across 44 disciplines, with participants representing rural, urban, and tribal regions. The initiative aims to identify and nurture sporting talent and build a strong pathway for athletes to excel at national and international levels.

Addressing the gathering, Sports Minister Sri Vakiti Srihari stated that the Telangana Government is implementing prestigious sports programs and urged students and athletes from both rural and urban areas to make full use of these opportunities. He emphasized that the government’s goal is to groom nearly 10,000 talented athletes at Gachibowli Stadium and prepare them to represent Telangana at national and international platforms. Encouraging the participants, he said athletes must remain focused and dedicated to their goals. Sharing a personal note, he remarked that if he were among them as a sportsperson, he would strive to represent the country. He also appealed to coaches and trainers from various regions to actively motivate youth to participate in sports competitions. Later, he distributed medals, awards, and certificates to the winners.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of the Sports Authority of Telangana, Sri Shivasena Reddy, said that while urban athletes often have access to facilities, rural athletes lack adequate infrastructure. The Chief Minister initiated the CM’s Cup to bridge this gap and provide equal opportunities to rural sportspersons and students. He described the tournament as a golden opportunity for grassroots athletes to rise from village, mandal, and district levels to national and international stages. Questioning why India, despite its population of 140 crore, has fewer Olympic medals compared to smaller countries like China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Tokyo, he urged Telangana athletes to bring laurels to the nation. He assured that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy fully supports sportspersons and reiterated that the Sports Authority’s mission is to provide special training and world-class facilities to produce champions for the country.

Managing Director of the Sports Authority of Telangana, Dr. A. Sonibala Devi, stated that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has directed officials to actively encourage and support athletes in reaching national and international platforms. She informed that 380 competitions were conducted across sub-junior, junior, and senior categories with the support of officials and stakeholders. In the first edition, 1,634 participants competed, and in 2026, students from 1,256 Gram Panchayats are being provided opportunities. As per the Chief Minister’s direction, 98% participation is targeted from rural mandal-level areas and 87% from urban levels. She added that in 2025, competitions were held in twin cities and across 10 districts. Funds have been allocated for transportation, food, and accommodation facilities for athletes under the CM’s Cup program. She further stated that the Sports Authority of Telangana is currently extending support and assistance to over 350 young athletes across the state.

The event was attended by Sri Vakiti Srihari, Sri Shivasena Reddy, Dr. A. Sonibala Devi, Malla Reddy, Mari Lakshma Reddy, noted shooter Srikanth, athlete Isha Singh, Soundarya, Arjuna Awardee Anoop, sports department officials, athletes, coaches, karate masters, Congress leaders, and members of the media.