Fifth edition of Brahmaputra Volleyball League begins

Mikirbheta (Morigaon), Oct 20: For someone like Hiranya Deka, a resident of Mikirbheta Revenue Town in Morigaon district, the past few days have been hectic. But he doesn’t mind. It’s not just Hiranya; several other locals were enthusiastic about hosting the ceremonial inaugural function of the fifth edition of the Brahmaputra Volleyball League (BVL), a community tournament.

“It’s a noble cause. It is our own tournament, and so we have all come together, determined to make it a grand success,” Hiranya, who is also the in-charge of Mikirbheta Volleyball Coaching Centre, told The Assam Tribune.

The BVL is organised across Assam, featuring Under-12 and Under-16 players, both girls and boys, from various villages.

The locals even joined hands to organise a community meal on Saturday for guests who had arrived from different parts of Assam to participate in the inaugural session. The atmosphere was filled with joy and enthusiasm, creating a festival-like environment in the truest sense.

“We didn’t see it as a burden. Instead, we enjoyed conducting the event. It’s wonderful to see well-wishers of the BVL from different parts of Assam. We are overjoyed and deeply thankful to Abhijit Bhattacharya,” Hiranya added.

Thanks to Abhijit Bhattacharya:

The BVL was the brainchild of Abhijit Bhattacharya, a former Indian volleyball captain from Assam. The initiative, called The Assam Volleyball Mission 100, began with the goal of distributing 100 volleyballs to 100 teams in villages five years ago.

“Volleyball is a very cost-effective sport. For just Rs 2,500 — a ball, a net, and two bamboo poles—we can transform the village sports scene,” Abhijit explained. The project encouraged villagers to take responsibility for hosting visiting teams, fostering a strong sense of community.

From 400 players to 400 teams:

What started without any external funding has now blossomed into the Brahmaputra Volleyball League (BVL), now in its fifth edition. Abhijit shared that while the league began with just 400 players, it now boasts 400 teams from 32 districts, with more than 5,000 children participating. Teams are sponsored by individuals from various walks of life, demonstrating a noble gesture towards the movement. Anyone can sponsor a team with Rs 15,000.

The league has also caught international attention, with the International Volleyball Federation expressing interest in learning from this community-driven model. The BVL is now recognised as the largest community volleyball league in the world.

Abhijit’s efforts have led to a remarkable transformation in Assam’s volleyball landscape. “Today, 90 percent of Assam's team is represented by BVL players,” he said, highlighting the league’s significant role in the state's sports development. Additionally, the participation of girls has seen a tremendous rise, with the ratio of girls and boys in the Under-16 category now nearly equal.

Despite India ranking 74th globally in volleyball and Assam traditionally struggling at the national level, Abhijit remains optimistic. “This is a homegrown league, and it shows the immense power in our villages. We hope to contribute to nation-building through sports,” he added.

Abhijeet, who played over 100 matches for the Indian volleyball team between 1995 and 2005, now works full-time in ONGC's HR Department. However, his 9-to-5 job has not deterred him from leading this remarkable sports movement in Assam.

Inauguration:

The event saw participation from the local administration, representatives of the state government, players, former players, retired bureaucrats, journalists, villagers, and students of different age groups during the inauguration ceremony held on Saturday afternoon.

Former Indian volleyball captain Ratish Nair, who was present at the inaugural ceremony, expressed his pleasure at witnessing the occasion, describing it as a unique competition.

Competition:

The main competition will commence in November, featuring around 900 matches, including the final round.

“The match schedules are usually decided by the teams and villagers based on their convenience. It’s a decentralised process,” Abhijit said.