The country has a significant past at the Asian Games, having earned three medals. Although there was a struggle in between, a positive resurgence has recently occurred. The Indian volleyball team felt its presence on the international stage by securing victory at the 1955 Asian Volleyball Tournament in Tokyo. Not long after, another triumph followed at the 1958 Asian Games.
Also Read: History of Volleyball at Asian Games
The 1958 Asian Games marked the inaugural appearance of volleyball in the event, and the Indian men’s volleyball team, under the leadership of the seasoned Gurudev Singh, proudly earned the bronze medal.
Volleyball, a widely popular sport, has been an integral part of India’s sports culture for over seven decades. Although an Indian team has never competed in the Olympic Games, the country has achieved notable success at the continental level.
The Indian men’s national volleyball team represents India in international volleyball competitions. The Volleyball Federation of India manages it and receives support from Sahara India Pariwar and Asics.
Although India has not been a prominent presence on the global stage in its volleyball history, the team has achieved notable success at the continental level, securing a silver medal and 2 bronze medals at the Asian Games.
India has been participating in volleyball at the Asian Games since 1958 and has taken part in 13 out of the 16 editions of the Asian Games. The team delivered outstanding performances in 1958, 1962, and 1986. However, aside from these instances, India’s performance in volleyball at the Asian Games has not been consistently strong.
Indian Medalist in Volleyball at Asian Game
The Indian volleyball team has made its mark in the Asia Cup with three bronze and one silver medals. In 1958, the team secured the Bronze Medal, with outstanding performances by players like T. R. Arunchalam, S. L. Gupta, P. Bharathan Nair, T. P. Padmanabhan Nair, Abdur Rahman, Raman, S. K. Sheikuchan, and Gurdev Singh.
In 1962, they elevated their game, earning the Silver Medal, led by Nripjit Singh Bedi, Tilakam Gopal, Joseph, Jai Karan, Khalid, Munnalal, T. P. Padmanabhan Nair, A. Palanisamy, Des Raj, and Jaswant Singh.
Their success continued in 1986 with another Bronze Medal, thanks to the contributions of players like Abdul Basith, Jimmy George, Shaikh Kareemullah, Kirtesh Kumar, P. V. Ramana, Dalel Singh Ror, Sandeep Sharma, Mehar Singh, Sukhpal Singh, G. E. Sridharan, K. Udayakumar, and Cyril C. Valloor. These achievements reflect India’s growing prowess in the world of Asian volleyball.
