~18-day sporting movement across 150+ schools culminates with Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Pawan Maan Singh and Vedant Trivedi celebrating grassroots sporting talent~
Sanand, Gujarat, 7th October 2026: Vijayi Bharat Foundation’s Khele Sanand Sports Utsav 2026 today concluded at Sanskardham, marking the culmination of an 18-day sporting movement that brought together 45,000+ young athletes from 150+ schools across all 105 villages of Sanand Taluka. Launched on 17 September, the initiative enabled the early identification and scientific evaluation of sporting talent, creating a pathway from grassroots sport to the Olympic stage while strengthening the sporting culture across Sanand.
The closing ceremony brought together a distinguished group of sporting personalities and leaders, including Arjuna Awardee and Table Tennis player– Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, MMA Fighter – Pawan Maan Singh, Cricketer – Vedant Trivedi and VBF Directors – Jalaj Dani, Dhanraj Nathwani and Durgesh Agarwal. The ceremony marked the finale of competitions held across the taluka and celebrated the young athletes, schools and communities that came together as part of the Sports Utsav.
The Sports Utsav culminated with competitions across 23 events in girls’ and boys’ categories, with 336 medals awarded across Gold, Silver and Bronze categories. As part of the closing-day programme, the Chief Guest interacted with the U-17 60m finalists, U-14 50m Cycling, U-8 Softball and witnessed the U-11 Kids Javelin and U-14 and U-17 Tug of War finals. The closing ceremony showcased the journey of Khele Sanand Sports Utsav from 17 September to 7 October, and featured the launch of Veer and Garvi, the mascots of Khele Sanand, representing the movement’s focus on bringing children and communities together through sport
Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Arjuna Awardee and Table Tennis Player said, “It is wonderful to see the enthusiasm among the children and the platform that Vijayi Bharat Foundation has created for them through Khele Sanand. This is closely aligned with the vision of making sport more accessible and creating opportunities at the grassroots. Seeing the energy here, I truly believe this is the right time to be in sports. I would encourage every child to keep playing, because sport teaches you dedication, discipline and teamwork. Whether you win or lose, what matters is that you continue to play and keep improving.”
Pawan Maan Singh, MMA Fighter, said, “The scale of the facilities and the platform created through Khele Sanand is immense, and it is encouraging to see children being given such opportunities at an early age. Initiatives like this can make sport a meaningful part of a child’s journey by giving them access, encouragement and the confidence to compete. It is heartening to see VBF creating an environment where children are being encouraged to take up sport and pursue it seriously.”
Vedant Trivedi, Cricketer, said, “Being from Gujarat, it makes me really proud to see VBF giving grassroots athletes the attention and opportunities they need to grow. Sporting talent can emerge from anywhere, and what matters is having the right platform, guidance and support to nurture it.Seeing so many children participate through Khele Sanand gives me confidence that initiatives like this can help create a stronger sporting culture and give young athletes the opportunity to take their talent forward.”
The ceremony included the felicitation of medal winners, addresses by the participating dignitaries and a celebration of the students and schools that contributed to the movement.
At the heart of Khele Sanand Sports Utsav was a large-scale, on-ground talent identification process led by coaches, scouts and sports experts. Athletes were observed and assessed through sport-specific drills, physical tests and performance parameters to identify promising talent at an early age.
Tools such as statistical data models and predictive analytics were also used to support these assessments, helping create a more scientific pathway for identifying and developing future sporting talent from the grassroots.
Khele Sanand Sports Utsav is part of VBF’s larger effort to strengthen sport at the grassroots by creating structured opportunities for children even before talent reaches established sporting centres.
The Sports Utsav has established a platform across Sanand with the message at its core:
“Every Child. Every School. A Sporting Movement. A Vibrant Sports Taluka.”
About Vijayi Bharat Foundation:
Vijayi Bharat Foundation (VBF) is committed to strengthening India’s sporting ecosystem by creating pathways for athletes to participate, develop and excel at the highest levels. Its vision is to establish a state-of-the-art Olympic Training Centre in India, creating a high-performance environment that supports India’s pursuit of Olympic excellence while serving as a training destination for international athletes.
VBF’s work spans three key initiatives, High-Performance Centre, Community Sports and Khele Sanand. The High-Performance Centre focuses on Judo, Archery, Shooting and Fencing, while Community Sports creates wider access to Badminton, Football, Equestrian, Table Tennis, Martial Arts, Shooting and Chess. Through Khele Sanand, VBF works at the grassroots across Kho-Kho, Kabaddi, Volleyball and Athletics, with a focus on participation, competition and talent identification.
About Khele Sanand Project:
Khele Sanand is a grassroots sports development initiative by Vijayi Bharat Foundation (VBF), launched in 2023 to promote sports and physical fitness among children and youth in Sanand Taluka. The project provides structured sports training, coaching, and competitive opportunities through village-level training clubs and schools. It encourages participation in Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Athletics, Volleyball, and other sports, fostering discipline, teamwork, leadership, and sportsmanship. Through organised leagues, tournaments, talent identification, and community engagement, Khele Sanand aims to nurture sporting talent, develop grassroots infrastructure, and build a healthier, more active, and sports-oriented society in rural Gujarat.
