SAAP chairman Ravi Naidu said 2.07 lakh sportspersons participated across Andhra Pradesh. (Image: Instagram)

Tirupati: The state-level Amaravati Championship-2026 concluded in Tirupati on Thursday, with the prize distribution ceremony scheduled for Friday to mark the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.

Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh chairman A. Ravi Naidu said the championship received a strong response across the state, with around 2.07 lakh sportspersons participating. About 84,000 athletes competed at the district level and nearly 10,000 at the state level.

The state-level competitions were held from August 24 to 27 at 29 venues in the Under-17 and Under-23 categories across 12 disciplines, including kabaddi, volleyball, kho-kho, hockey, badminton, yoga, archery, basketball, chess, weightlifting and boxing. Around 1,200 matches were played.

The prize distribution ceremony will be held on Friday, with Assembly Speaker Ch. Ayyannapatrudu and ministers Kollu Ravindra and M. Ramprasad Reddy invited to attend. A rally of the winners will also be held with the slogan, “Drugs Vaddu - Sports Muddu”, to promote sports and awareness against drug use.

Ravi Naidu said the championship had encouraged sports participation and supported the government’s goal of developing Andhra Pradesh as a sporting hub. He said over `8 crore in pending incentive awards would be credited directly to the bank accounts of around 270 sportspersons on August 29.

He appealed to people to take up sports regularly and promote a healthier Andhra Pradesh.

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