Telangana’s hosting of the Khelo India Youth Games 2026 has placed the state’s sports infrastructure and administrative coordination under scrutiny, with Sports and Youth Services Minister Vakiti Srihari directing officials to prepare facilities and conduct the competitions without unnecessary expenditure.
Srihari issued the instructions during a special meeting with deputy collectors from various districts and Sports department officials at Tourist Plaza in Begumpet. The meeting focused on preparations for conducting the national sporting event in Telangana.
The minister said Telangana’s selection to host the Khelo India Games was an honour for the state. He attributed the opportunity to efforts by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and recalled that he had met Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in Srinagar to request that Telangana be given responsibility for conducting the event.
Srihari said any failure in organising the competitions effectively would bring a bad name to the state government. He asked officials to work with a sense of responsibility and coordinate their efforts so that there would be no shortcomings in the conduct of the games.
A central part of the instructions concerned the improvement of sports infrastructure. Srihari asked officials to develop the facilities needed for the competitions in a manner that would make them useful for future generations, rather than treating them only as temporary event infrastructure. The report did not specify which venues will be used or what upgrades will be undertaken.
The minister also directed officials to prepare plans that would achieve greater results with lower expenditure. He warned against wasting government funds on unnecessary spending and said deputy collectors were being given the powers required to discharge their responsibilities effectively.
Srihari asked officials to first understand the challenges and limitations currently faced and then work towards the goal despite obstacles. He compared the need for planning, coordination and execution in the games to the preparation required to achieve victory in a war.
The report does not provide details of the event schedule, participating venues, infrastructure budget or procurement arrangements. For district administrations, the immediate task outlined by the minister is to coordinate preparations, identify challenges and ensure that facilities are improved while keeping public expenditure under control.
