Mumbai With less than two months to go for the inaugural season of the Premier Handball League (PHL), two new teams sanctioned by the South Asian Handball Federation and affiliated to the Asian Handball Federation (AHF) join the journey of the PHL.
After the inclusion of Maharashtra Ironmen in the inaugural edition of the league, the PHL has announced the addition of Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh and Garvit Gujarat as the second and third franchise respectively.
The Uttar Pradesh team will be owned by Aligarh-based Pavana Group of Industries, headed by Swapnil Jain. Jain, who serves as the Managing Director of the company, has a keen interest in the fields of education, sports, industry and social work and is actively working in various ways to contribute to the society. Prior to Golden Eagles, Jain’s major investment in sports was in the form of Ascus Cricket, which manufactures cricket bats and accessories.
Speaking on their decision to be a part of the Premier Handball League, Swapnil Jain, Managing Director, Pavana Group of Industries said, “Handball is a popular sport, and most schools in India have included it in their sports curriculum. But its popularity has grown over time. has faded. We want to ensure that handball regains its position, and by joining hands with PHL, we hope to achieve this goal. As a company, we have been investing in sports equipment manufacturing for a long time. We are doing this, and we want to make a difference in the lives of young people by bringing them closer to sports.”
On the other hand, Garvit Sports Pvt Ltd (GSPL), headed by former India international Roop Kumar Naidu, has made its first investment in sports as Garvit Gujarat. Naidu, serving as the organization’s founder and director, has been associated with handball since 1979, and was also part of the first Indian handball team to make its international debut in the same year. During his career between 1979 and 1987, Naidu represented India in the 1982 Asian Games held in New Delhi.
After his retirement from professional sporting life, Naidu continues to contribute to the Indian sports eco-system in various capacities. He has been a part of the Handball Selection Committee as SAI/Official Observer from 1990-97 and has also worked as Sports Administrator in SAI, New Delhi for more than three decades.
Commenting on his association with the Premier Handball League, Roop Kumar Naidu, Founder and Director, GSPL said, “I have been a part of the handball eco-system in India since its inception. Handball has been waiting for this sunny opportunity for a long time. And the Premier Handball League is that opportunity. Having played handball at the top level, it is my duty to give back to the sport and give it the recognition it needs.”
He also said, “When it was a question of selecting the team, Gujarat was an automatic choice for me. I was the director of SAI’s Western Region in Gandhinagar (Gujarat) from 2013 to 2017. During my tenure, handball at the national level has been promoted to Gujarat. had become one of the most consistent medal winning sports for the state.Handling the Gujarat franchise of the Premier Handball League gave me another opportunity to contribute something positive to the handball eco-system of Gujarat and entertain the handball lovers of Gujarat Is.”
Manu Agarwal, Founder and CEO, BlueSport Entertainment Pvt Ltd said, “We welcome Roop Kumar Naidu and Swapnil Jain to the Premier Handball League family. When building a league, it is important that every block is in place, and from the very beginning It is important that all stakeholders have a common vision. I am glad that Mr. Naidu and Mr. Jain strongly believe that the moment is right for handball in India, and the PHL is the way to bring handball to the forefront of Indian sports. I would like to wish both the teams the best as we near the business end of the tournament.”
The inaugural season of the Premier Handball League will begin on June 8 and run till June 25, 2023. Its matches will be telecast through Viacom 18 network on JioCinema, Sports 18-1 (HD & SD) and Sports 18 Khel.
