Telangana Govt partners with Anil Kumble to launch olympic talent program in schools

Hyderabad: The Telangana government has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with former Indian cricket captain and TENVIC founder Anil Kumble to transform Telangana into a hub for Olympic-level sports.

The partnership aims to integrate sports training with academic education, laying a strong foundation for nurturing young talent through scientific methods and expert mentorship.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Sports Minister Vakiti Srihari, SATG Chairman Shivasena Reddy, Special Chief Secretary for Tourism, Culture & Sports Jayesh Ranjan, SATG Vice Chairperson and MD Sonibala Devi, and other senior officials.

CM Revanth Reddy’s vision for Youth Empowerment

Sports Minister Vakiti Srihari said the programme aligns with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s vision of empowering youth by combining education and sports. “This collaboration will help identify and nurture sporting talent while enabling students to maintain academic focus,” the minister noted. “It’s a move towards positioning Telangana as a cradle of future Olympic champions.”

Massive outreach in first phase

The initiative will begin with a focus on 238 social welfare residential schools, targeting over 1.5 lakh students in the first phase. Talent identification will be conducted across five Olympic sports Wrestling, Kabaddi, Volleyball, Athletics, and Weightlifting.

Students selected through the programme will train at three state-run Centres of Excellence, where academic and athletic development will go hand-in-hand, the Minister said.

Scientific training and coach upskilling

In addition to athlete development, the programme will also aim to upgrade the skills of Physical Education teachers by introducing them to modern coaching methods and sports science tools. The initiative brings a data-driven, science-backed approach to grassroots sports training in the state.

Kumble: “Opportunity is Key”

Anil Kumble emphasized that creating access and opportunity is more important than talent alone. “Through this initiative, we hope to offer a platform that helps young athletes realise their potential. We also aim to raise the quality of coaching and build a strong sporting culture in Telangana,” he said.

Expansion planned in phase II

In the second phase, the programme will expand to include five more Olympic disciplines, further widening the talent pool and strengthening Telangana’s sports infrastructure. Phase 1 will be implemented immediately, according to officials.

This collaboration with Anil Kumble and his team at TENVIC is expected to become a game-changer for grassroots sports, with the potential to ignite a long-term sporting movement in Telangana, the Sports Minister said.