69TH SENIOR NATIONALVOLLEYBALL (M & W) CHAMPIONSHIP INAUGURATED IN KIIT

Bhubaneswar(Kalinga Voice):  The 69th Senior National Volleyball(Men & Women) Championship 2020-21 has been inaugurated at BijuPatnaik Indoor Stadium, KIIT Deemed to be University on March 5, 2021. TusharkantiBehera, Minister Sports & Youth Services and Electronics & InformationTechnology, Govt. of Odisha joined as Chief Guest in the inaugural ceremony while AnilChoudhary, Secretary-General, Volleyball Federation of India (VFI); Rathin RayChoudhury, Sr. Vice President, VFI and Chairman, Control Committee; Dr. AchyutaSamanta, Hon’ble MP, Kandhamal; President, VFI and Founder, KIIT & KISS;Prof. Sasmita Samanta, Organizing President and Pro-VC, KIIT Deemed to be University, Prof H. K. Mohanty, VC, KIIT DU joined as guests and grace theoccasion. Dr. A. Samanta, Presided over the Inaugural Ceremony, while Dr. GaganenduDash, Secretary Organizing Committee, Associate Jt. Secy., VFI, HonoraryGeneral Secretary, Odisha Volleyball Association and Director, Sports, KIIT andKISS gave vote of thanks. On the occasion of legend Biju Patnaik’s 105thbirth anniversary, the inaugural ceremony was after giving floral tribute to late Biju Babu. Among others Presidents and general secretaries of states and UTs volleyball associations were also present in the inaugural ceremony.  For the first time in the history of Indian volleyball, Odisha as a state hosted the senior national championship consecutively after successfully conducting the 68th SeniorNational Volleyball (M&W) Championship last year.

Also for the first time all the matches would be played in Indoor courts with live streaming. All the matches will be played at Biju Patnaik Indoor Stadium as per COVID guidelines of Govt. of Odisha. Odisha as a state has been allotted four VolleyballNational Championships – 36th Junior National VolleyballChampionship 2009, 41st National Sub Junior VolleyballChampionship 2019, 68th Senior National Volleyball (M&W)Championship 2019-20 and the forthcoming 69th Senior NationalVolleyball (M&W) Championship 2020-21. All four tournaments have been conducted at KIIT premises. More than 1200 Men & Women volleyball players from28 states and 8 union territories are participating in this NationalChampionship. For the first time the union territory Ladakh team have been participating with proper permission from President, VFI. Many ArjunaAwardee, as well as international & national players, would be participating in this championship. The Indian Volleyball team for the upcoming AsianChampionship and other international meets would be selected through this championship. The selection committee for the Indian Volleyball MenTeam consists of Shri. G.E. Sridharan, Dronacharya Awardee, Arjuna Awardee& Present Coach of Indian Volleyball Team; Dr. Dalel Singh, Arjuna Awardee and Shri Jagir Singh Randhawa. The selection committee for the IndianVolleyball Women Team consists of Shri Ajay Jangra from SAI, Shri. Daljeet Singh,and Ms. Vaishali Phadtare, Present Coach of Indian Volleyball Team. Shri Prakash Roy and Shri A. Ramana Rao, Dronacharya Awardee & Arjuna Awardee will be the coordinator of both the selection committees. The inaugural match was held between Odisha and MadhyaPradesh in Men’s Category and Odisha Vs. Rajasthan in Women’s Category.