09-05-2025
Cherlapally prison hosts sports and cultural meet
After a four-year break triggered by the pandemic, the Telangana Prisons Department has restarted its Annual Prisoners' Sports and Cultural Meet at Central Prison, Cherlapally.
The three-day event, aimed at inmate rehabilitation, kicked off on Friday, where over 220 prisoners from across the State took part.
The meeting was inaugurated by Special Chief Secretary for Home Ravi Gupta, who praised the prison staff for running a tight ship and commended the inmates for their disciplined parade and energetic performances. He told participants that this meet was not about medals, but about regaining purpose and self-discipline — tools more valuable than any trophy.
Inmates were grouped into four teams representing Cherlapally, Chanchalguda, Hyderabad Range and Warangal Range. All underwent two months of training in both sports and cultural activities, supported by protein-rich diets to keep them fighting fit.
Outdoor competitions include cricket, volleyball, kabaddi, and sprints, while indoor contests feature chess, carrom, and badminton. Cultural events such as singing, dancing, skits, mimicry, and instrumental music are also on the agenda, giving inmates a chance to step outside their usual roles and reconnect with forgotten talents.
Director General of Prisons Soumya Mishra said that structured activity was not just a distraction, but a tool for change. 'Reform isn't a slogan. It's a process. And this is part of it,' she said.
Senior officers from across the prison system, including IGs and DIGs, backed the initiative as a practical approach to inmate reform.
