**Summary:**
On September 4, 2025, a delegation from the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), led by General Sports Director Steve Tutton and Head of FIVB Empowerment NF Relations Hitesh Malhotra, met with Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Raksha Khadse, to discuss the development of volleyball in India. Discussions focused on talent scouting, extending training leave for athletes, providing free coaching resources, and promoting women's empowerment in volleyball. The FIVB delegation emphasized increasing investment in Asia to enhance the competitiveness of Indian athletes and highlighted the potential of beach volleyball to drive sports tourism, aligning with the Khelo Bharat Niti. The meeting also explored the possibility of organizing the Khelo India Beach Games and utilizing India's tourist destinations for international tournaments. Rohit Rajpal, Chair of the VFI Steering Committee, and Kunal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, also participated in the discussions. The dialogue signifies a step toward elevating volleyball's significance in India and integrating it with the broader goal of making India a leading sporting nation by 2047.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports: The Indian government ministry responsible for youth affairs and sports.
Fdration Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB): The international governing body for volleyball.
Raksha Khadse: Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports.
India: The country where volleyball development is being discussed.
Steve Tutton: FIVB General Sports Director.
Hitesh Malhotra: Head of FIVB Empowerment NF Relations.
Khelo Bharat Niti: A sports initiative mentioned in the context of beach volleyball and sports tourism.
Khelo India Beach Games: A sporting event being considered for organization in India.
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB)
Delegation Meets MoS Sports Raksha Khadse to
Discuss Volleyball Development in India
Posted On: 04 SEP 2025 6:46PM by PIB Delhi
A high-level delegation from the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) met Minister of State for
Youth Affairs & Sports, Smt. Raksha Nikhil Khadse, to deliberate on the future of volleyball in India and
explore new avenues for collaboration.
The meeting was led by Shri Steve Tutton, FIVB General Sports Director, along with Shri Hitesh Malhotra,
Head of FIVB Empowerment & NF Relations, Shri Rohit Rajpal, Chair of the VFI Steering Committee, and
Shri Kunal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.
Key areas of discussion included talent scouting, extension of training leave for athletes, provision of free
coaching resources, and women’s empowerment in volleyball. The FIVB delegation also stressed on
increasing investments in Asia to raise competitiveness of Indian athletes and highlighted the potential of
Beach Volleyball as a driver of sports tourism, in alignment with the Khelo Bharat Niti.
The prospects of organising the Khelo India Beach Games and leveraging India’s prominent tourist
destinations as venues for international tournaments were also explored.
The dialogue marked an important step in positioning volleyball as a sport of growing significance in India
and integrating it with the broader vision of making India a leading sporting nation by 2047.
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Rini Choudhury/Anjelina Alexander(Release ID: 2163815)