Brahmaputra Volleyball League: A Platform for Young Talent in Assam
Exciting Volleyball Action in Majuli
Volleyball players from Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir
Guwahati, Oct 8: Assam is gearing up to host the seventh edition of the Brahmaputra Volleyball League (BVL), which will kick off in Majuli on October 11, attracting some of the nation's most talented young volleyball players.
Among the participants is 15-year-old Rizwana Manzoor, who, along with her teammates from Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir, has traveled to Assam after competing in events in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
For Rizwana, the BVL represents more than just a competitive platform. The student from Government High School Uchhad, located near the Line of Control (LoC), has aspirations of returning to her roots as a coach.
“I aspire to be a coach and assist village children in excelling at the sport,” Rizwana expressed during the inaugural BVL Inter-State Championship held in Guwahati.
Rizwana and her team proudly represented Jammu and Kashmir at the three-day Under-16 championship, which featured winning teams from various states including Assam, Manipur, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
This championship, organized under Volleyball 360, has provided players from some of India's most remote areas with a chance to compete, travel, and engage with teams from different regions.
For the girls from Uchhad, this exposure is significant beyond the volleyball court. They trek over 30 minutes through hilly terrain to reach school and have faced societal restrictions regarding girls participating in sports and traveling beyond their villages.
“Volleyball has empowered us to confront challenges and express ourselves. It has also allowed us to explore new places. Previously, we rarely ventured beyond our village,” Rizwana noted.
She mentioned that their accomplishments have begun to shift perceptions within their community.
“In the past, people questioned why girls should engage in sports and travel. However, our success has altered that mindset. Now, we are viewed with respect, and parents are encouraging their daughters to pursue sports and other activities. We take pride in being part of this transformation,” she stated.
Rizwana described volleyball as granting the girls “wings to fly” and expressed her desire for more young girls to embrace the sport.
Her teammates, Mehnaz Layqit, Alishba Jameel, and Sobia Kouser, have also gained from the chance to travel for competitions.
They attribute their introduction to volleyball and the organization of training and competitions to their physical education teacher, Ikhlaq Ahmed. The girls practice daily at their school.
They have also drawn motivation from Indian volleyball player Saqlain Tariq, who is from Poonch, and whose father, Mohammad Tariq, is part of the Jammu and Kashmir team.
Abhijit Bhattacharya, former captain of the Indian volleyball team and founder of the BVL, expressed his appreciation for the enthusiasm shown by young players from remote regions, reinforcing his commitment to grassroots development.
“I extend my gratitude to all the coaches and mentors who have inspired these young girls and boys, from the borders of Poonch to the farthest villages of Odisha and Manipur. I envision this volleyball movement spreading across the nation,” Abhijit remarked.
As the BVL returns to Majuli on October 11, Assam will once again serve as a hub for grassroots sports, uniting young athletes from various corners of India on a shared platform.