Mangaluru: More than 300 rural players participated in Karnataka divisional matches of the 18th Isha Gramotsavam, held in Moodubidire, Dakshina Kannada. Organised by Isha Outreach, the tournament featured 18 men’s volleyball teams and 12 women’s throwball teams. It served as a qualifying round for teams seeking to represent Karnataka at the national finals.In men’s volleyball, the Murkundeshwar Hannehali team from Hanehalli in Uttara Kannada emerged champion, while Anjanadri team from Gonibeedu in Chikkamagaluru finished runner-up. Mahalingeshwar Boliya from Muthuru in DK, secured third place, and Sri Siddi Vinayaka from Reppanpete in Shivamogga finished fourth.In women’s throwball, the Shri Krishna Patte team from Badagannur in DK, clinched the title. The Rani Chennama team from B Bagewadi in Belagavi finished runner-up. Shastara Padumale from Badagannur in DK and Jai Shree Ram from Tirlapur in Dharwad secured third and fourth places, respectively.The divisional winners will compete in the grand finale, scheduled to be held from Sept 4 to 6 at the Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore. The winning teams will receive Rs 5 lakh each, while the runners-up will get Rs 3 lakh. Teams finishing third and fourth will receive Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50,000, respectively.Sri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Pandithacharyavarya swami, spiritual head of Moodubidire Jain Mutt; Alva’s Education foundation chairman Dr Mohan Alva; and Tulukoota president Dhanakeerthi Balipa were present at the inauguration. Karnataka Cashew Manufacturers’ Association sponsored 400 grafted cashew saplings for distribution among the participating players. Conceived in 2004, Isha Gramotsavam is an annual rural sports and cultural festival aimed at promoting physical well-being and strengthening community ties through sports.According to the organisers, the 18th edition will cover more than 40,000 villages across 10 states and the union territory of Puducherry. It is expected to involve over 80,000 players from around 7,000 teams, including nearly 15,000 women. The festival has expanded to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra, in addition to Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
