Tata Steel Foundation-backed Talbahal girls finish runners-up in Brahmaputra Volleyball League

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

ANUGOLA, OCTOBER 6, 2026

The U-16 girls’ volleyball team from Talbahal in Anugola, supported and nurtured by the Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) under its grassroots sports development programme, produced an impressive run at the Brahmaputra Volleyball League (BVL), finishing runners-up in the championship held at the GVCC Ground, Judges Field, Guwahati, from October 2 to 4.

The Talbahal side earned its berth in the prestigious league after emerging champions in the Kalinga Volleyball League, an U-16 grassroots competition organised across Odisha by the Kalinga Volleyball Development Council in December 2025.

Carrying the hopes of Odisha into the national-level competition, the Angul team displayed composure and fighting spirit in Guwahati, overcoming teams from Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand and Manipur to book its place in the final.

In the title clash, Talbahal came up against hosts Assam. Despite putting up a determined fight, the Odisha side went down 1–3 to finish runners-up.

The performance marks a significant milestone in the development of young sporting talent in the Dhenkanal-Anugola region and underscores the value of sustained grassroots programmes in providing promising athletes with exposure to high-level competition.

The Talbahal squad comprised Rojalin Naik, Bishnupriya Raul, Soumya Sandipa Gadanayak, Priyanka Priyadarshini, Micky Naik, Rinki Sahoo, Mirali Naik, Rupali Naik, Swarna Prabha Naik, Shivani Naik, Shrabani Naik and Sayani Naik.

Organised by the Brahmaputra Volleyball League and Dani Sports Foundation, the BVL brought together teams from Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Manipur and Odisha.

For the Tata Steel Foundation, the achievement is another step forward in its efforts to nurture young sporting talent and strengthen the grassroots volleyball ecosystem in the region. The Talbahal girls’ journey from a State-level grassroots championship to the final of a competitive multi-State league also highlights the growing potential of volleyball talent emerging from Odisha’s smaller communities.