Sports

The state of Andhra Pradesh, in partnership with the grassroots sports organisation India Khelo Football (IKF), has rolled out its “Scout on Wheels” road-show across the Rayalaseema region — with the city of Anantapur as a key stop. The campaign — a 45-day football talent hunt targeting underserved towns and villages — is being hosted by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) and aims to identify young footballers aged 11-17, engage their families, and integrate girls into the sport. Anantapur’s participation will include local football clinics, scouting trials on artificial and grass turf, parent-workshops on supporting athletic pathways and specialised modules for girls’ sports development. Organisers say the campaign will help “take football directly to communities” and open pathways to professional clubs, coaching and sports-science careers for youth in rural districts. With the mobilisation of over 1,000 players, 2,000 parent engagements and 300 girl athletes targeted, this initiative underscores Anantapur’s emerging role as a sporting hub in Rayalaseema. The event also links to broader community upliftment, using sport as a tool for life-skills, inclusion and local pride.

The Anantapur Sports Academy (ASA), based at the Anantapur Sports Village, has announced a significant infrastructure upgrade across its rural development centres in the Anantapur district. The organisation currently runs nearly 96 grassroots centres and 3 regional development hubs catering to thousands of children and youth in sports like cricket, football, hockey, judo and kabaddi. Officials say the upgrades include new flood-lit synthetic grounds, improved hostel facilities, modern training equipment and daily nutrition support to enhance performance and participation among rural athletes. These efforts mark an important step in bringing high-quality sports infrastructure to underserved areas of Rayalaseema.