Asian Handball Day: Interesting facts about Indian handball 

India is fresh off its best-ever showing at the Olympics. The Indian contingent is returning from the Tokyo Olympics 2021 with seven medals, including one gold in athletics.

India's participation in 18 disciplines, five more than that of the 2012 London Olympics, is evidence of steady progress that sports in the country has been making in recent years.

Apart from mainstream sports, there have been many other sports which have potential to become successful on the global stage. One such sport is handball.

Handball originated in the early 20th century in Europe and it is one of the most played sports at grassroots level in India.

On the occasion of Asian Handball Day, here are some interesting facts about Indian handball.

Handball's introduction in India

In 1972, handball, a fast-paced sport, grabbed the attention of Indians as it was played for the first time in the country. It was Haryana where the sport took baby steps before being promoted to the next level. Currently handball has more than 80,000 registered players in the country.

First handball nationals on football field

After developing the sport in the country, Haryana hosted the first-ever senior national tournament in Rohtak in 1972. Haryana emerged as the first national champion while Vidarbha won the silver medal. The tournament was played on a football field and the sport continued to be played outdoors until 1975.

Aug 26 is recognised as Asian Handball Day to commemorate the move for the formation of the Asian Handball Federation in 1974. The federation was formed with the aim to achieve handball’s development & expansion in the Asian region. Heartiest congratulations on 47th anniversary. pic.twitter.com/TiDa1vlT7G

— PHLIndia (@PHLIndia) August 26, 2021

International experience

The first time the Indian men’s handball team participated in any tournament abroad was in 1979. The team traveled to Nanjing, China to take part in the Asian Championships. It was also the first time that Indian players were introduced to the indoor handball facilities. India concluded the event with a fifth-place finish. On the other hand, the women’s team had traveled to China for its first international tournament back in 1987.

India's first handball captains - Venugopal and Lavneet Kaur

India's first handball captains were M Venugopal and Lavneet Kaur Randhwa. Venugopal donned the captain’s hat and became the first player to lead the Indian men’s side during the team’s maiden international outing at the Asian Championships in China in 1979. Meanwhile, Lavneet Kaur Randhawa became the first women's captain when she was selected to lead the team for a tournament in China in 1987.

Glimpses of the international stars

In 1981, India hosted its first international tournament and it provided fans an opportunity to watch the international players live in their own backyard. A six-team tournament saw China, Japan, Bahrain and Korea competing alongside two teams from India — India Blue and India Yellow. The tournament served as a much-needed preparation for Indian players ahead of the 1982 Delhi Asian Games.

Major boost at grassroots

Recognizing handball’s potential in the country, the Sports Ministry included the sport at the Khelo India Youth Games earlier this year. Being an Olympic sport, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has been sponsoring the Indian teams for the Asian Games since 1982.

Professional lift to handball

With the help of international and Asian governing bodies, Indian handball is set to bring in the best international expertise and exposure for its players, coaches and other officials. with the Premier Handball League (PHL). It will aim to script a new chapter for the sport in India.