Top 10 Famous Volleyball Players Of India

For those who don’t think that Volleyball is an intensive and quite thrilling sport to play, well, just watch one match of Volleyball in person, and you’ll know why you are wrong. It is a fact that during a Volleyball match, a player can jump as many as 300 times, can you even believe that? Thankfully, this sport is well-received in India, and it is getting more popular as time goes on. And if you are a fan of this sport, especially right here in India, then it could be because of famous players like Jimmy George, Palanisamy, etc, right? Well, that’s precisely the reason why we will be taking a good look at the list of the top 10 famous volleyball players of India. Alright, here we go now.

1. Jimmy George

So yes, basically, there was this man named Jimmy George who changed the way volleyball was played in India. How and why? Well, he was a player who represented India back in the 1970s and 1980s. He broke so many records that nobody came close to that until now. He was just a man from Kerala who became the first professional player to go abroad to Italy for volleyball and gain world fame, you know? With his speed and fighting spirit, he managed to score a bronze medal for India at the 1986 Asian Games, which was the best achievement of our country at that event. But, unfortunately, he died in an accident in 1987, but his contribution to volleyball and his memory is beyond comparison.

2. A. Palanisamy

The other big name is A. Palanisamy aka the Black Panther of Volleyball sport. And just so you know, this man was one of the best of the best players in India’s volleyball history and a scoring machine during the 1960s. The man really did it and he became the Best of Asia in 1962 for an exclusive competition at the Asian Games, did you know that? For sure, over time, he became a guide for the younger generation of players, which was his major contribution to the skill development of many in the country and it is still today a matter of significance in Indian volleyball.

3. Cyril Vellore

Cyril Vellore is a name that resonates with resilience, as he kind of spearheaded India to its bronze medal win in the 1986 Asiad along with Jimmy George on the occasion. For sure, he is considered a genius player and his ruling qualities made him a well-deserved man to receive the Arjuna Award in 1986. Not only was he the captain of the National team, but he was also the bridge between young and experienced Indian players, he was really the face of Indian volleyball in the 1980s, that’s for sure.

4. Balwant Singh Sagwal

Balwant Singh Sagwal aka Ballu is an Indian Volleyball player who enforced his name with all his skills and devotion in the 60s and also the 70s. He became a national player by the up-gradation of his rank from the Border Security Force in Punjab and brought home the Arjuna Award in 1972. Though, even after retirement, he chose to put efforts into volleyball by establishing a volleyball academy in his hometown, diverting the basic ground of the sport in India, you know?

5. Abdul Basith

Next on the list, Abdul Basith, known for his towering presence and sportsmanship, captained the Indian team from 1986 to 1989, including their 1986 Asian Games gold medal victory, did you know that already? And for sure, under his leadership, the Indians gained a bronze medal. Basith won the Arjuna Award in 1989. Without a single doubt, yes, his humble nature and dedication were a model for Indian volleyball.

6. Karthik Madhu

Karthik Madhu, who is one of the most important figures in the Indian volleyball community nowadays, is the captain of the Kochi Blue Spikers in the Prime Volleyball League, remember him? His roots are in Karnataka, and he got his start in volleyball from the Sports Authority of India, when he became the national player he began his journey towards international volleyball. In recent times, well, he has been a key player in the Asian Men’s Volleyball Championship and South Asian Games where India was victorious.

7. Ashwal Rai

Next is the captain of the Kolkata Thunderstorms, Ashwal Rai, who really took charge of the first season of the Prime Volleyball League and became the team that took home the trophy. Without a single doubt, his physical and tactical way of playing has been recognized by his being a member of the Indian national team at various international competitions. And as a matter of fact, yes, he is now a key player in the Indian volleyball game.

8. Nirmal Kaur Saini

The captain of the Indian female volleyball team Nirmal Kaur Saini is a pioneer of women in Indian volleyball. The South Asian Games bagged by the Indian women’s volleyball team under her captaincy are among the achievements of her Volleyball career right here in the country. Though originally from Punjab, she broke the barriers in women’s sports both on and off the court. As a result, yes, in 2021, she got the Lifetime Achievement Award, which just goes to show how important and popular she is.

9. Ramavtar Singh Jakhar

Ramavtar Singh Jakhar is an important name in Indian volleyball as a sportsman and a leader. Rajasthan was the place of his birth, but Jakhar took command of India’s Volleyball Federation and aided the go-east sport to be popular all over the country. The recognition awards that he received such as the Aravali Award and the Maharana Pratap Award highlight the role that Jakhar has played in the development of Indian Volleyball.

10. Muthusamy Appavu

Last on the list, as a new gem on the Indian volleyball horizon, Muthusamy Appavu is a trendsetter and the man responsible for one of the best showings of the Ahmedabad Defenders in the Prime Volleyball League. From Tamil Nadu, he became the U23 Asian Championship Best Setter and helped India win medals, like a bronze in the U21 BRICS Games being among them.

Conclusion

That’s all. Sure, many other volleyball players are doing really well in India, but these are the top 10 famous ones who made this sport popular in the country, so we had to include these. Anyway, we hope that if you are a volleyball fan, this post was a fun read for you.