NIZAMABAD: "Health is wealth,” so goes the adage. While medical practitioners often focus solely on their profession, Dr Kavitha Reddy Sheelam, a renowned gynaecologist from Nizamabad, has expanded her efforts to promote sports — particularly football — for girls.
Unlike many prominent figures who typically support more popular sports like cricket, hockey, badminton, and tennis, Kavitha Reddy, with the help of her husband, E Ravindra Reddy, has chosen to advocate for football. A globally recognised sport played in over 100 countries, football significantly contributes to physical and mental well-being, fostering happiness among players.
With this vision, Kavitha Reddy established the Kavitha Reddy Foundation, which runs a Football Academy. The academy supports 41 girls, including degree and intermediate students from various colleges, by providing coaching along with free accommodation, food, clothing, and books. Many of these players have been selected for state and national teams, competing in international tournaments.
On August 17, 2024, under the guidance of the Telangana State Football Association, a major senior women’s football tournament was held at the Police Parade Grounds. Recently, from May 15 to 22, the Kavitha Reddy Football Academy organised the Telangana Women’s League Football Tournament at the Women’s Degree College grounds. This tournament, featuring three matches daily under floodlights, was the first of its kind to be conducted both day and night.
Players from not only the local area but also from Bihar and Chhattisgarh participated. The event was graced by notable figures, including TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud, senior MLA P Sudharshan Reddy, and Nizamabad Commissioner of Police P Sai Chaitanya, among others. Mahesh Kumar Goud shared his vision of transforming Nizamabad into a sports city with proper infrastructure, assuring government support for the endeavor. Sudharshan Reddy encouraged professionals to contribute to society by pursuing their interests, which can help everyone achieve their goals.
During the event, Kavitha Reddy noted that India currently ranks 120th in men’s football and 87th in women’s football. She highlighted that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is a football player and TPCC chief Mahesh Kumar Goud is a karate athlete, reflecting a strong commitment to sports development. Inspired by this, she aims to promote football and nurture players in the district.