Brahmaputra Volleyball League Welcomes Olympic Champions for Its Seventh Season
Exciting Developments in the Brahmaputra Volleyball League
Team, parents, BVL volunteers, BVL UNICEF ambassadors pose for a photo
GUWAHATI, June 15: The seventh season of the Brahmaputra Volleyball League (BVL) is set to feature renowned Olympic athletes such as Abhinav Bindra and Gagan Narang, who will adopt various teams.
Joining them are former Indian hockey captain and Olympian Viren Rasquinha, along with sports producer and writer Joy Bhattacharya. Notably, Arjuna Award-winning badminton player Aparna Popat was among the first to adopt a team during the league's inaugural season.
This grassroots tournament will see participation from approximately 415 teams across Assam, competing in four categories: Under-12 boys, Under-12 girls, Under-16 boys, and Under-16 girls.
In a video message, Bindra expressed his excitement about being part of the BVL initiative, stating, "This is not merely about volleyball; it represents a movement for widespread community engagement and transformation."
Narang, who secured a bronze medal at the London Olympics, praised the league's influence, particularly in fostering girls' involvement and leadership while changing lives through sports.
Both athletes emphasized that community sports serve as a powerful means for nation-building.
During a curtain-raiser event in Guwahati, BVL founder and former Indian volleyball captain Abhijit Bhattacharya shared his gratitude for the overwhelming support received from both national and international communities, including the FIVB, the global governing body for volleyball.
The BVL has recently been acknowledged by the International Olympic Committee for its achievements in empowering communities and dismantling gender barriers through a grassroots sports initiative that has introduced volleyball to children in numerous villages throughout Assam.
Recognized as one of the largest grassroots sporting initiatives globally, the BVL features over 400 teams competing across four age categories. This successful model is now being expanded to states like Odisha, Manipur, Jharkhand, and Jammu and Kashmir.
Bhattacharya, who was honored with the IOC Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champions Award 2025 for this initiative, announced plans for a BVL Mega Cup that will include champions from Odisha, Jharkhand, Manipur, and Jammu and Kashmir.
The Dani Foundation supports the league, with co-founder Vita Dani emphasizing the need for this initiative to be replicated nationwide.
"It's inspiring to witness the growth of this movement. It all started with Abhijit, but the volunteers, villages, and communities that often go unnoticed deserve significant recognition. This collective vision united the Dani Foundation and BVL. The emphasis is on grassroots participation, and BVL has shown what can be achieved," Dani remarked.
The seventh season is scheduled to kick off in October 2026 in Majuli, hosted by the Diamond Volleyball Coaching Centre.
Young girls serving as BVL-UNICEF ambassadors were also present at the event, sharing their stories of social change facilitated by the movement.
They highlighted how the league has contributed to various initiatives, including gender equality, child marriage prevention, and environmental conservation.
The movement enjoys support from several partners, including UNICEF, ONGC, the Volleyball Foundation, Signify, Vector X, SportVot, and Dhatura Films.