by Ashis Sinha
Indian volleyball has tremendous potential and a promising pool of future champions. This has been repeatedly demonstrated, most recently at the Asian Games, where the Indian team achieved a historic rise. They defeated previous medalists South Korea and Chinese Taipei and narrowly missed winning against China in the Asian Championships, showcasing their growing prowess.
However, the progress of Indian volleyball has been hampered by internal conflicts and administrative chaos since 2020. As a result, both the Indian government and the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) have suspended the National Sports Federation (NSF) for volleyball in India.
Despite having all the prerequisites to become a top-class volleyball power, India’s potential remains untapped. The remarkable performance at the Asian Games should be seen as a catalyst for Indian volleyball’s future.
Authorities and eminent personalities in Indian volleyball must unite to create a cohesive platform to resolve the ongoing crisis. This is crucial for nurturing the future prodigies of Indian volleyball.
“Overcoming the administrative deadlock in Indian volleyball is the most urgent need of the hour. We need to wake up the sleeping giant,” stated Dr. Jaideep Sarkar, Chief Coach of the Indian Men’s Volleyball Team for the XIX Hangzhou Asian Games and the Asian Volleyball Championship 2023.
Dr. Sarkar, who has been involved with Indian volleyball since the early ’90s and served as a deputy to the legendary Dronacharya and Arjuna Awardee Sri Syam Sunder Rao to train Indian Juniors & Seniors, emphasized India’s vast pool of volleyball talent.
He believes that the team’s recent success is a result of trust and faith in the players and support staff, leading to a dramatic rise in Asian Games standings.
“The steepest rise in the history of Indian volleyball, including a sharp jump of six positions at the international level, must be carried forward as a starting block to move ahead. The concerned authorities and volleyball personalities must come together to end the long-standing crisis and restore the nation’s image,” Dr. Sarkar added.
Dr. Sarkar, also a representative of the IOC Community for the dissemination of the Olympic Movement in 2023, calls for a unified effort to revive Indian volleyball’s glory.