The fourth edition of the Mangalagiri Premier League (MPL-4) cricket tournament was inaugurated in a grand manner on Sunday at the Nara Lokesh Sports Ground (Bogi Estates), marking the beginning of a much-awaited sporting spectacle in the constituency. The tournament is being organised as part of the birthday celebrations of Andhra Pradesh Education and IT Minister and Mangalagiri MLA Nara Lokesh, whose birthday falls on January 23.

The event was formally inaugurated by Nara Brahmani, who paid floral tributes to the statue of N. T. Rama Rao before declaring the tournament open. She later entered the ground, interacted with players, conveyed her best wishes, and even played a few shots with the bat, drawing loud applause from the crowd. She also watched the opening match for a while.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Rajya Sabha MP Sana Satish and Tollywood actor Nikhil Siddharth, along with coalition leaders, party functionaries, sportspersons and a large number of cricket enthusiasts. The expansive sports ground wore a festive look, with elaborate arrangements made for spectators, players and organisers. The matches will continue until January 21, with facilities in place for hundreds of spectators to watch the games comfortably.

Adding to the festive atmosphere, Nara Brahmani stepped onto the field and briefly took to the bat, playing a few shots amid loud cheers from the spectators. Her interaction with the players and her sporting gesture drew enthusiastic applause from the crowd, who welcomed her presence with slogans and warm greetings. The moment further energised the venue, reflecting the close connection between the leadership and the local community.

Speaking on the occasion, actor Nikhil Siddharth said cricket and Nara Lokesh were both close to his heart. “Having acted in 21 films so far, I can say it is inspiring to see how Andhra Pradesh is progressing across sectors. Organising a tournament with 128 teams is no small achievement,” he said, expressing happiness over the rapid development in Mangalagiri. He also congratulated Nara Brahmani on receiving the ‘Business Today - Most Powerful Women in Business’ award, after which the gathering extended birthday greetings to her.

Rajya Sabha MP Sana Satish said the tournament reflected Minister Lokesh’s commitment to encouraging youth and sports. He noted that the creation of modern sports infrastructure and regular tournaments had helped nurture talent, citing the selection of cricketers K.P. Sai Rahul and Pavani from Mangalagiri into the Andhra Pradesh teams as notable achievements. He assured that efforts would be made to replicate such tournaments across other constituencies.

The MPL-4 features prize money and awards worth nearly Rs. 10 lakh. The first prize of Rs. 3 lakh is sponsored by Mangaladri Developers, the second prize of Rs. 2 lakh by Manchikalapudi Vaishnavi, and the third prize of Rs. 1 lakh with support from Velagapudi Kishore. Individual awards include Man of the Match (₹3,000 each), silver and gold coins for toss winners, and special prizes such as an electric bike and bicycles for Man of the Series, Batsman, Bowler, Fielder and Wicketkeeper of the Series.

With its fourth season, the Mangalagiri Premier League has once again transformed the constituency into a vibrant hub of cricketing action, reinforcing the growing culture of sports and youth engagement in the region.