With less than two months to go until the season opener of the inaugural Premier Handball League (PHL), two new teams, sanctioned by the South Asian Handball Federation and affiliated to the Asian Handball Federation (AHF), have become part of the PHL journey.
After Maharashtra Ironmen, PHL has announced that Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh and Proud Gujarat have become the second and third franchises respectively of the inaugural edition of the league.
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The Uttar Pradesh team will be owned by Aligarh-based Pavana Group of Industries, which will be headed by Mr. Swapnil Jain, who serves as the Managing Director of the unit. Shri Jain has keen interest in the field of education, sports, industry and social work and is actively working to contribute to the society in various ways. Prior to Golden Eagles, Mr. Jain’s major investment in the sport came in the form of Ascus Cricket, which manufactures cricket bats and related accessories.
Speaking about 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 include it as a part of their sports. Syllabus. But its popularity has faded with time. We intend to ensure that handball regains its glory, and by joining hands with the PHL, we hope to achieve this goal. We, as a company, have been investing in sports equipment manufacturing for a long time, and we want to make a difference in the lives of youth by bringing them closer to sports.”
On the other hand, Garvit is the first investment made by Garvit in Gujarat sports Play Private Limited (GSPL) is headed by Mr. Roop Kumar Naidu, former international of India, who serves as the founder and director of the organization. Shri Naidu’s association with handball dates back to 1979, and he 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, Shri Naidu represented India in the 1982 Asian Games held in New Delhi.
After his retirement from professional sports, Shri Naidu has continued to contribute to the Indian sports ecosystem in various capacities. He has been a part of the SAI/Selection Committee for Handball as Government Observer from 1990-97 and has also worked as Sports Administrator for more than three decades at SAI, New Delhi.
Talking about his association with the Premier Handball League, Mr. Roop Kumar Naidu, Founder and Director, GSPL said, “I have been a part of the handball ecosystem in India since its inception. Handball has been waiting for its moment in the sun for a long time, and the Premier Handball League is that opportunity. After playing the game at the highest level, this is my opportunity to give back to the game and help it get the recognition it needs.”
He also said, “Gujarat was an automatic choice for me when it came to picking the team. I was the Director of SAI, Western Region, Gandhinagar (Gujarat) from 2013 to 2017. During my tenure, handball had consistently become one of the medal winners for the state of Gujarat at the national level. Taking over the Gujarat franchise of the Premier Handball League has given me yet another opportunity to contribute something positive to the handball ecosystem of Gujarat and entertain the handball lovers of Gujarat.”
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“We would like to welcome Mr. Roop Kumar Naidu and Mr. Swapnil Jain to the Premier Handball League family. When building a league, it is important that every block is in place, and to begin with, it is important that all stakeholders have an aligned 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 going to pave the way to bring handball to the forefront of Indian sports. “I would like to wish both the teams all the best as we approach the business end of the tournament,” said Manu Agarwal, Founder and CEO, BlueSport. Entertainment private Limited.
The inaugural season of the Premier Handball League will begin on June 8 and run till June 25, 2023, which will be broadcast on JioCinema, Sports 18-1 (HD & SD) and Sports 18 Khel on the Viacom18 network.
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