Mega sports event ‘Aadudam Andhra’ to begin on Oct 2
Minister for Tourism and Sports R K Roja speaking to the media in Tirupati on Wednesday. SAAP MD Harshavardhan and Principal Secretary (Sports) Vani Mohan are also seen.
Tirupati: To give a big boost to rural sports and nurture the talent of the youth, the State government has planned to hold a big sports event named ‘Aadudam Andhra.’
Fulfilling the aspirations of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, the sports event will be held at various levels from ward/village stage to the State-level competitions. Disclosing the details, Minister for Tourism, culture and Sports R K Roja told the media in Tirupati on Wednesday that the competitions will commence from October 2 on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanthi. The mega programme will first be held at 15,004 ward/village secretariats and later at mandal-level where the first prize winners at secretariat level will compete. Again the winners will compete at constituency and subsequently at district levels. Finally, the State-level competitions will be conducted. At ward/village secretariat levels about 2.99 lakh matches will be conducted. The Minister said that five popular games – cricket, volleyball, kabaddi, kho-kho and badminton doubles are chosen for the Aadudam Andhra programme.
All these five games will be held for both men and women and conducted on knockout basis. Entries will be taken through online at secretariat level and an online app will be provided for easy registrations.
Youth above the age of 17 years are eligible to take part with no upper age limit. Players residing in one particular village/ward secretariat area will be allowed to participate in that area competitions only. Kits will be provided for the participants at all secretariats at a cost of Rs 42 crore and another Rs 12 crore has been earmarked for cash prizes to the winners from constituency-level.
The total event will be held in a timebound manner within a window period of 46 days. Minister Roja asked the officials to take steps to construct cricket stadiums in 20 acres in Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, Mangalagiri and Rajamahendravaram so that in future Andhra IPL team can be formed. Principal Secretary (Sports) Vani Mohan, SAAP MD Harshavardhan, SETVEN CEO Dr V Muralikrishna, chief coaches Balaji, Syed Saheb and others were present.