Southeast Asia’s groundbreaking Women’s Handball League (WHL), promoted by Pavna Sports Venture, has launched an ambitious “future handball champions program” starting from the upcoming league season in January, 2025 with a focus on scouting and developing young and talented Indian women players from across the country.
With this goal in mind, the League has entered into a long-term partnership with homegrown equipment manufacturer, Nivia Sports, to conduct multiple talent hunt programs across the country to tap and nurture young prospects of the game and also aim to make sport more accessible, with special emphasis on advancing women’s handball India.
The sports equipment manufacturing giant will provide the official ball, equipment, and kit to all players, officials and talented youngsters, it was announced on Friday.
The Indian handball team is currently ranked 5th in Asia and the country has 10,000 registered players and close to 30,000 players playing the game in India, currently.
The women’s handball league will feature prominent players from India, along with those from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe, and Africa.
The league, which will be played under the auspices of the South Asian Handball Federation and supported by the Asian Handball Federation, is set to feature six franchise teams in its inaugural edition.
“This strategic alliance with Nivia Sports will be a major milestone in our quest to position handball as a leading Olympic Sport in India. By partnering with a brand synonymous with excellence, we are set to establish world-class standards that will elevate the Women’s League and the sport as a whole. This collaboration will also enhance the quality of play at every level, from grassroots initiatives to elite competitions, and inspire countless young athletes to embrace handball. Together, we envision a future where handball flourishes as a premier sport, cultivating the next generation of champions,” said Mrs. Priya Jain, Executive Director of Pavna Industries & Chairperson of Pavna Sports Venture.
While this partnership aims to transform the handball landscape in India by creating significant opportunities for athletes and fostering the growth of the sport from grassroots to elite and league levels, specifically for women’s handball, it will also work closely to develop India as a handball hub in the run-up to the 2032 Olympics.
Pavna Sports Venture, the league promoters, have already committed a substantial investment over the next three years to focus on talent identification, infrastructure development, and the creation of top-notch coaching facilities for the game at the grassroots level.
With the help of this partnership, they also aim to identify India’s most talented handball players and extensively enhance the visibility of the game across India. Nivia Sports, a renowned leader in the sports equipment sector with over 30 years of experience, is committed to producing world-class handballs that are both affordable and durable, while simultaneously elevating the performance of athletes.
“The Indian Women’s handball team is currently ranked 5th in Asia, and our ambition is to see them reach new heights, with the potential to qualify for the 2032 Olympics. We believe that using top-notch balls, gear, and equipment will significantly boost the sport’s popularity. The Women’s Handball League will be instrumental in this journey. This partnership is more than just a sponsorship; it is a strategic alliance in our mission to elevate handball in India and across Southeast Asia,” added Rajesh Kharabanda, Managing Director of Nivia—the official ball partner of India’s top football league and holder of a 70% market share in football.
They are also FIFA-certified football manufacturers in India.
This partnership will also help Nivia create new markets across the country as well as the Southeast Asian region. WHL will be a great platform for this homegrown brand to showcase top-class handballs and provide an opportunity for research and development to innovate and market world-class handball products globally, as it has been doing for other sports including football, basketball, and volleyball
About Asian Handball Federation:
The Asian Handball Federation (AHF) is the governing body for handball, beach handball, and wheelchair handball in Asia. As one of the International Handball Federation’s six continental confederations, the AHF was officially formed on August 26, 1974, in Tehran, Imperial State of Iran, on the sidelines of the 7th Asian Games. The AHF is currently headquartered in South Surrah, Kuwait, and consists of 44 member federations. It is currently led by Acting President Yoshihide Watanabe (Japan) and Muhammad Shafiq (Pakistan) is the current Secretary General, serving in the position since October 25, 2013.
