Hyderabad Toofans to serve as Telangana’s tourism ambassadors during Hockey India League

Minister for Tourism and Culture Jupally Krishna Rao on Sunday said the Hyderabad Toofans hockey team would serve as ambassadors of the State’s tourism and culture during the upcoming Hockey India League 2025-26 season.

The Minister said the team was officially sponsored by Telangana Tourism, providing a national platform to showcase the State’s heritage, culture and identity. He said professional sports franchises played a key role in regional promotion by boosting the hospitality and transport sectors while also enhancing a State’s visibility across the country.

Referring to the State government’s sports roadmap, he said the vision was to build a strong and sustainable sports ecosystem through the Telangana Sports Policy. “The government is working towards establishing a dedicated Sports University to ensure that athletes from the State were well prepared for major international competitions, including the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games,” he added.

Addressing the players and support staff, the Minister highlighted the social responsibility of sportspersons and urged them to act as role models for young people. He called on athletes to inspire the youth to stay away from drugs, online gaming and betting, and instead adopt discipline, focus and healthy lifestyles through sport.

Telangana Tourism Development Corporation chairman Patel Ramesh Reddy said hockey was deeply rooted in India’s sporting culture and expressed confidence that the Hyderabad Toofans would bring greater national recognition to Telangana.