The spirit of prison inmates shines in Chelapali as the annual sports and cultural gathering ends with treble

VIPs at the closing ceremony of the 2025 Annual Prisoner Sports and Culture Conference, at the closing ceremony on Sunday. |Picture source: Arrangement

More than 220 inmates from the Telangana Correctional Institution facility gathered in Cherlapally Central Prison for a three-day celebration of courage, talent and rehabilitation, as the 2025 edition of the 2025 annual conference on prisoners’ sports and culture closed an event on Sunday.

The event, organized by the Department of Prison and Correctional Services, brings together inmates from Cherlapally, Chanchalguda, Hyderabad Prison Scope and Warangal Prison Scope to four 55-member platoons. The gathering from May 9-11 blends athleticism with artistry, aiming to provide prisoners with a structured platform for reinvention and reintegration.

The closing ceremony was attended by the Minister of IT, Industry and Legislative Affairs and the Legislators Patnam Mahender Reddy and Bandari Laxma Reddy and Corporator Bonthu Sridevi.

In his speech, the Minister praised the prison authorities for turning the prison into a “reform and rehabilitation centre” and expressed appreciation to the Director General of the Prison Director Soumya Mishra, who were pioneering the focus on the welfare and reform of prisoners. He noted that while many prisoners were there due to the unfortunate turn of their lives, they are now actively working to become better citizens.

A key highlight of the minister’s speech was the praise of products made in the prison industry, ranging from soap to steel furniture, which he claimed could compete with multinational brands. Karimnagar fuel exports, run by prisoners, are also specifically mentioned for their honesty and high sales figures.

Participants received two months of training before the event, with a special diet rich in protein to keep them healthy.

Activities include cricket, volleyball, Kabadi, track and field, chess, Carom and badminton, as well as cultural programs such as singing, dancing, short plays, imitation, musical performances and visual arts.

Cherlapally’s Central Prison dominated the scoreboard, packing six golds and three silvers for the overall championship. Central Prison, Hyderabad, is followed by four golds and a silver medal. Cherlapally also won the “Best Team in the Parade” championship.

In his closing remarks, Ms. Ms. Mishra thanked the prison staff, participants and guests and reiterated the department’s commitment to reform-based prison management.