Pavna Sports Venture has launched South Asia’s inaugural professional Women’s Handball League (WHL) in the country. It will invest over Rs. 100 crores which will be strategically allocated over the next 3 years to drive grassroots develpment of the sport.
The WHL will be organised under the auspices of the South Asian Handball Federation, the Asian Handball Federation, and supported by the Handball Association of India.
Six teams will compete in the inaugural edition. The league will feature players from the Middle East, South East, Europe, and Africa.
As the official licensee holders, Pavna Sports Venture also plans to integrate foreign exchange programs as a crucial part of its grassroots development initiatives. The goal is to provide a development platform for Indian women players wherein the necessary exposure and experiences will be provided to make their name in the sport both in India and globally.
Priya Jain, Executive Director of Pavna Industries and Chairperson of Pavna Sports Venture said, “As a business group, Pavna Sports Venture is a strong advocate of women empowerment and we believe sports is a crucial tool to facilitate the growth of an individual in many aspects. Our investment of INR 100 crores will contribute to establishing an inclusive ecosystem that empowers women’s handball to thrive and secure a premium position within Women’s Sports Leagues in India. Drawing insights from the success trajectories of other sports leagues in the country, we have a long-term vision for the Women’s Handball League and expect it to achieve financial profitability within the next five to six years as per our projections. We are aiming to launch the league by January 2025 and are focused on creating a self-sustaining model with robust foundations that can prosper without relying on external financial support.”
The financial commitment will play a pivotal role in stimulating key areas at the grassroots level such as infrastructure development, talent identification, and the creation of high-quality coaching facilities.
“We are proud to be part of this historic moment as we launch India’s first Women’s Handball League. This league is a significant step forward in our mission to promote and develop women’s handball across the country. By joining forces with Pavna Sports Venture and international Handball federations, we aim to elevate the standard of women’s handball in India and provide our athletes with a world-class platform to compete at the highest level. This league marks the beginning of a new era for women’s handball in our nation,” stated Anandeshwar Pandey, League Chairman of Handball Association of India & Secretary General of South Asian Handball Federation.
Women’s handball in India the company added has been on the rise with over 300,000 girls and women actively engaging in handball across various levels in India, representing schools, colleges, universities, CISF, CRPF, Railways, Services Sports Control Board (Army, Navy, Airforce), Sports Authority of India, Sports Promotion Board, and more.
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