Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Sports Minister Vakiti Srihari and Director General of Police B. Shivadhar Reddy will present the trophy to Assam Rifles, winners of the 74th BN Mullick Memorial All India Police Football Championship 2026 (Women’s Category) at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday (April 206). | Photo credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR
Expressing concern over the changing trends among the youth, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said that the youth are gradually drifting away from sports and fields and it is time to bring the youth back to sports.
He was speaking after presenting the trophy to the CISF team winners of the 74th BN Mullik Memorial All India Police Football Championship held at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium.
Mr Reddy said he was determined to steer the youth away from the pub and drug culture and guide them towards a constructive career in sports. “We have seen how this has affected the youth of Punjab. We will not allow this region to become another Punjab,” he warned.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy plays football in the 74th BN Mullick Memorial All India Police Football Championship – 2026 at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday. | Photo credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR
The Chief Minister recalled the rich football heritage of Hyderabad and said that the city once enjoyed an excellent reputation in the history of Indian football. “From the 1950s to the 1960s, Hyderabad was known as the ‘nursery of Indian football’.”
He noted that seven Hyderabad players were part of the Indian football team that competed in the 1956 Olympics. The Hyderabad police football team, he added, had also earned a commendable reputation at the national level.
The Chief Minister paid tribute to BN Mullik, describing him as a “master spy” who played a key role in shaping India’s intelligence system.
Director General of Police B. Shivadhar Reddy said football has a strong heritage in Telangana and hoped that interest in the sport would continue to grow.
Cyberabad Commissioner M. Ramesh said 34 men’s teams and nine women’s teams from across the country participated in the tournament. In the men’s category, the CISF team won the title, defeating Goa Police, while Kerala secured the third position. In the women’s category, Assam Rifles finished first, followed by Odisha and CISF.
The closing ceremony was attended by high-ranking officials and representatives of various departments.
Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Vakiti Srihari, Director General of Police B. Shivdhar Reddy and Telangana Sports Authority Chairperson Shivsena Reddy and others were present. Telangana Sports Minister Vakiti Srihari said that the government gave priority to the development of sports and took note of the Chief Minister’s personal involvement in promoting football.
Published – 05 Apr 2026 22:06 IST
