~Five young volleyball players from TSF centres earn spots in prestigious SGFI tournaments in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh
– Over 680 players, including 120 girls from local villages received training under national level coaches
Meramandali, Nov 14, 2025- Reaffirming its commitment to supporting young sports talent, Tata Steel Foundation continues to strengthen its efforts through community-based coaching and engagement. Several young volleyball players trained at its Grassroots Centre and Youth Development Centre in Dhenkanal have been selected to represent Odisha in the 69th School Games Federation of India (SGFI) National Championships 2025–26, marking another step forward in the Foundation’s work to nurture rural talent.
The SGFI Championships, one of the key national platforms for school athletes, will see five players trained under TSF’s volleyball program take part this year. Four athletes have been chosen for the Under-17 School National Volleyball Championship in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh (November 11–15), while one player will represent Odisha in the Under-19 Council Volleyball Championship in Godarwar, Madhya Pradesh (November 13–17).
Coming from villages across Dhenkanal and Angul, these young players have worked hard to reach the national level. Among them are Rinki Sahu from Paika Puruna Kote, Rojalin Naik from Talbahal and Bidusmita Nayak from Badibahal, who will compete in the Under-17 Girls category at Bareilly. Subhadeep Behera from Paika Puruna Kote will play in the Under-17 Boys category, while Soumya Ranjan Samal from Charadagadia will represent Odisha in the Under-19 Boys event in Madhya Pradesh.
Since starting in 2022, the Grassroots Centre (for ages 8–12) and Youth Development Centre (for ages 13–16) have focused on identifying and training young players from rural areas. With regular coaching, mentoring, nutrition support and participation in tournaments, the program has trained over 680 players, including 120 girls. In just a few years, around 30 players from these centres have competed in national-level tournaments, and two athletes have reached the Junior India Camp, showing steady progress and growing confidence among the young players.
Sharing her excitement, Rinki Sahu, who has captained her team in two national events, said, “This is a dream come true for me. Training under Tata Steel Foundation has given me the confidence and discipline to perform at this level. I want to make my village and coaches proud by giving my best in the tournament.”
Beyond sports training, TSF’s program aims to help young people build life skills such as discipline, teamwork and self-belief, while creating links to state and national opportunities. By making quality coaching accessible in remote areas, the Foundation continues to help children from small villages grow through sports.
The success of these volleyball players reflects Tata Steel Foundation’s long-term vision of using sports as a catalyst for empowerment and social transformation, proving that with the right guidance and opportunity, Odisha’s villages can produce athletes who shine brightly on national platforms.
