VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the State-wide sports tournament ‘Aadudam Andhra’ on Monday. The first-of-its-kind sporting event, which will kick-off on December 15 and conclude on February 3, is aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle among the youth.
The event is expected to serve as a platform to identify and nurture talent, and further showcase it at both national and international levels. Participants from the Gram and Ward Sachivalayam level to the state level can register for any of the five sports—cricket, badminton, kho-kho, Kabaddi, and volleyball—on https://aadudamandhra.ap.gov.in
Participants have to be 15 years or older to be eligible. Separate tournaments will be held for both men and women. Victorious participants will win cash prizes from a substantial pool of Rs 12 crore. Aadudam Andhra will also feature non-competitive events such as yoga, marathons, tennikoit, and other local sports to enhance participation across the community.
The government will sponsor free sports kits for every player in preparation for their matches. Additionally, all venues will be equipped with appropriate medical facilities.
Winners at all levels to get cash prizes
Winners from the knock-out rounds will advance to the final event scheduled for February 3 at the Dr YS Rajashekar Reddy Stadium in Visakhapatnam. In cricket, kho-kho, kabaddi, and volleyball, first, second and third-place winners will get Rs 35,000, Rs 15,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively as cash prizes at the constituency level.
They will win Rs 50,000, Rs 30,000, and Rs 10,000 respectively at the district level, and Rs 5 lakh, Rs 3 lakh and Rs 2 lakh respectively at the State-level. In badminton, first, second and third-place winners will receive Rs 20,000, Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively as cash prizes at the constituency level. They will be awarded Rs 35,000, Rs 20,000, and Rs 10,000 at the district level, and Rs 2 lakh, Rs 1 lakh, and Rs 50,000 for State-level winners. While this edition marks the inception of Aadudam Andhra, the government is committed to hosting subsequent editions annually.