OJ Janeesh – Kerala Sports Minister 2026 (Kodungallur, Thrissur | Profile, Department Contact)

OJ Janeesh (Janeesh Ol) is the Sports and Youth Affairs Minister of Kerala in 2026. He is a member of the Indian National Congress (INC) and represents the Kodungallur constituency in Thrissur district in the Kerala Legislative Assembly. He was appointed as Sports Minister in the UDF government led by Chief Minister VD Satheesan. The Sports Department under his ministry oversees all state-level sports administration, the Kerala Sports Council, athlete welfare schemes, stadium development and youth sports programmes across all 14 Kerala districts.

OJ Janeesh represents the Kodungallur constituency in Thrissur district — the northernmost district of Kerala bordering Karnataka. Kodungallur is known for its multilingual character with Tulu, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam and Beary communities. The constituency has a diverse voter base and OJ Janeesh won the seat as an INC candidate in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections as part of the UDF wave that brought VD Satheesan to power as Chief Minister. Thrissur district is also known for its cashew industry, beach tourism and proximity to Mangalore International Airport.

The Kerala Sports Council (KSC) is the apex body for sports administration in Kerala state functioning under the Sports and Youth Affairs Department headed by Minister OJ Janeesh. The Kerala Sports Council is affiliated to national sports federations and coordinates state-level competitions, athlete selection for national events, coaching programmes and sports infrastructure development. The council manages sports complexes, tracks and facilities across Kerala. For official sports recognition, tournament registrations and athlete welfare schemes contact the Kerala Sports Council at ksports.kerala.gov.in or the Sports Department at 0471-2327773.

The Kerala Sports Department offers an athlete welfare scheme providing monthly pension, medical support and employment assistance to elite athletes who have represented Kerala or India at national and international levels. To apply: download the application form from sportsdept.kerala.gov.in, submit with sports achievement certificates, identity proof and bank account details at the nearest District Sports Officer office in your Kerala district. The revised 2026 scheme provides ₹25,000 per month for Olympians and proportionate amounts for national and state medalists. Contact the Sports Department at 0471-2327773 or visit sportsdept.kerala.gov.in for current eligibility criteria and application process.

Khelo India is the central government sports infrastructure and talent development programme under which Kerala has received ₹185 crore in project grants as of 2026. The programme funds construction and renovation of sports facilities, provides annual scholarships of ₹6.4 lakh to identified young athletes, and supports coaching programmes in identified sports disciplines. In Kerala, Khelo India projects include synthetic athletics tracks, indoor sports halls, swimming pools and multi-purpose courts across multiple districts. Young athletes from Kerala who qualify for Khelo India selection receive central government scholarships and access to SAI (Sports Authority of India) coaching centres. For Khelo India registrations and scholarships visit ksports.kerala.gov.in.

Kerala is most famous for football in Indian sports — the state has a passionate football culture and Kerala Blasters FC is one of the most supported ISL franchises with a dedicated fan base across Kerala and the Gulf Malayalee diaspora. Kerala also excels in volleyball at the national level with the Kerala women’s volleyball team winning multiple national championships. In athletics Kerala has produced several national-level stars including marathon runners and middle-distance athletes. Cricket has a strong following with Sanju Samson being Kerala’s biggest current cricket export. Kerala also has a strong tradition in chess, badminton, kabaddi (Kerala Thalaivas in PKL) and traditional sports like boat racing (Nehru Trophy at Alappuzha) and Vallamkali.

The Kerala Sports and Youth Affairs Department can be contacted at: phone 0471-2327773, website sportsdept.kerala.gov.in, and in person at the Government Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram. For Kerala Sports Council matters visit ksports.kerala.gov.in. For GV Raja Sports School admissions call 0471-2360728 or visit gvrss.edu.in. For Khelo India programme queries and athlete welfare scheme applications contact the District Sports Officer in your Kerala district. For complaints against Sports Department officials file at the Chief Minister Grievance Cell at pgd.kerala.gov.in. Gulf Malayalee NRI sports associations can register with the Sports Department through the Pravasi sports cell at sportsdept.kerala.gov.in.

VD Satheesan is the Chief Minister of Kerala in 2026. He leads the United Democratic Front (UDF) government following the UDF victory in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections. VD Satheesan is a senior Indian National Congress leader from Thrissur district. His cabinet includes 21 ministers from INC, IUML, RSP and other UDF coalition partners. Sports Minister OJ Janeesh (INC, Kodungallur-Thrissur) and Revenue Minister AP Anil Kumar (INC, Aluva-Ernakulam) and Forest Minister Shibu Baby John (RSP, Chavara-Kollam) are among the prominent cabinet members of the 2026 UDF government.