Ludhiana players bag Prime Volleyball League contracts, call for better infra

The selection of two players—Jasjodh Singh and Preet Karan—from Punjab for the Prime Volleyball League (PVL), a professional men’s indoor event, is indeed heartening. Not only is it a testament to the talent of the state’s youth in the sport, but it is also an inspiring story for Punjab’s volleyball community, who look forward to seeing these players represent the state and the country on a prominent platform, potentially bringing more recognition and accolades.

Jasjodh (6’10”) from Jalandhar and Preet (6’3”) of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar are both pursuing graduation from Satish Chander Dhawan (SCD) Government College, Ludhiana, and have been bought for the 4th Prime Volleyball League, scheduled to be held in October.

With over 400 players up for grabs this year, the auction for the event was the largest ever. Each of the 10 franchises could select a total of 14 players for their squads, which would include 12 Indian and two international players. The biggest Indian volleyball stars, including Deepesh Kumar Sinha, Vinit Kumar and Naveen Raja, were slotted in the platinum category, while the gold, silver and bronze categories featured 33, 141 and 205 other players, respectively. Players from other countries were classified into one category—platinum.

Jasjodh and Preet were the only players from the state to be bought for the league. The auction was held last week at Calicut, wherein both these boys went under the hammer. Jasjodh Singh (backer) was bought by Kochi Blue Spikers (KBS) for Rs 14.75 lakh against the base price of Rs 5 lakh, while Preet Karan (setter) was signed by Hyderabad Black Hawks (HBH) for Rs 5.25 lakh against the base amount of Rs 3 lakh.

Jasjodh and Preet were selected for the league after their performance during several competitions was considered. Jasjodh hogged the limelight during the National Games and Khelo India Universities Games, where he secured gold medals. He played in the All India Inter-Varsity Championship for three consecutive years and participated in the Senior National Volleyball Champions thrice in addition to the World Universities Games in China and the International Volleyball League in Australia. He was also the member of the Ludhiana squad that clinched gold medals in all three editions of the Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan for three consecutive years.

Preet Karan, too, participated in the 2022-2025 National Games, Khelo India Universities Games and All India Inter-Universities Tournament and secured gold medals. He took part in the Senior National Volleyball Championship and also in the Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan, wherein he helped his team win gold medals.

Coach, players demand indoor facility

The duo is receiving top-notch coaching at the volleyball academy at the SCD Government College ground from Punjab Sports Department coach Sunil Kumar and India Volleyball Team coach Gurjot Singh, who is providing his expertise voluntarily.

Gurjot said the volleyball centre at the government college was great and a large number of players were receiving training there. However, he suggested building an indoor court which would allow for year-round training, unaffected by weather conditions, to improve skills and performance.

Trainees at the academy echoed similar sentiments, saying, “The lack of an indoor volleyball stadium is significantly impacting our training. Practising in the open exposes us to unpredictable weather conditions, forcing us to abandon sessions when it rains or when strong winds blow. This highlights the need for a sheltered facility where we can practice without being affected by the weather conditions. Even after a short spell of rain, we are forced to clean up and prepare the courts ourselves,” they said.

Gurjot and the players urged the government and corporate houses to pool in money to help them build an indoor court for practice. “This could have a significant impact on the development of volleyball in the region, helping aspiring players to pursue their dreams without limitations,” added Gurjot.

Gursharan Singh Sandhu, Principal, SCD Government College; and Sunil Kumar, district volleyball coach, congratulated the boys on the selection. “This achievement not only brings pride to the institution but also serves as a motivation for other students to pursue their passion for volleyball,” said Sandhu.