Hyderabad: Telangana planned to develop the Young India Sports University as a hub for scientific training, research and grassroots talent development, Sports Minister Vakiti Srihari said on Saturday.
Srihari said the proposed university would integrate sports education, scientific training and research. The government aimed to use the institution to develop Telangana into a sports powerhouse.
The Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, Fisheries and Youth Services and Sports made the remarks in the Legislative Council. He responded to questions from members Balmoor Venkata Narsing Rao, Mahesh Kumar and Sripal Reddy.
Srihari said the university would identify sporting talent at the grassroots level. Moreover, athletes would receive scientific training, advanced coaching and access to sports science under one roof. The institution would also cover sports medicine, physical education and research.
Young India Sports University plans global partnerships
The State had taken steps to build partnerships with leading national and international sports institutions, Srihari said. The government aimed to develop the university according to global standards.
In addition, Telangana had initiated steps for collaboration with Korea National Sport University. The proposed partnership would particularly focus on sports science and employment opportunities.
Srihari said courses at the Young India Sports University would extend beyond conventional coaching. Athletes would receive training based on modern sports science, technology and research.
The government also planned to establish High-Performance Centres. These facilities would prepare Telangana athletes for major international competitions. According to Srihari, the centres would focus on preparing athletes for the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
Young India Sports University to support rural talent
The government wanted to ensure that sporting opportunities did not remain concentrated in urban centres, Srihari said. Therefore, promising athletes from every village would receive opportunities to develop their abilities.
Plans included upgrading rural sports grounds and modernising existing facilities. Furthermore, the government intended to provide sports equipment and identify talent from the school level.
Authorities would conduct talent-scouting programmes at mandal and district levels. Rural sports competitions would also help identify promising athletes. Subsequently, selected athletes would get opportunities to connect with district and State-level academies.
The government also planned training and support for local coaches and physical education teachers. The initiative would cover athletics, hockey, football, volleyball, kabaddi and kho-kho.
Srihari also highlighted participation figures from the CM Cup. In 2024, the competition recorded 2.9 lakh registrations across 36 sporting disciplines. The government spent Rs.12 crore on the 2024 edition. Meanwhile, registrations increased to 5.42 lakh across 46 disciplines in 2025.
Expenditure on the CM Cup also rose to Rs.38.50 crore in 2025. Srihari cited the increased participation while outlining the State’s efforts to expand grassroots sports.