Handball in Himachal Pradesh

Reviewed profileAchievements, tournaments, coaches and FAQs on this page are compiled by hand from federation, government and press reporting, drawing on Handball Association of India (haiindia.in), Wikipedia — Handball in India, Handball Association of India, India women's national handball team. These are not cited to individual documents: we hold no per-claim source for them, so treat dates, counts and career records here as a summary rather than a reference. Sections we hold nothing for are left empty. Sport pages last reviewed as a set: September 2026.

Overview

Origin: 19th century Europe
Category: Team
Olympic discipline: Yes
Paralympic discipline: No
Central pathway: Olympic (TOPS eligible)
Athlete profiles on SportSupport: 6

Governance and status

Each field below is shown only where we hold a source for it; anything else reads “Not currently verified” rather than a guess. Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports recognition is granted year by year, so it is only ever shown with the year it applies to. Last reviewed: September 2026.

Indian governing/organising body: Handball Federation of India
Ministry recognition: Not currently verified
International federation: Not currently verified
Khelo India inclusion: On the official Khelo India Games discipline list as "Handball"Source: Sports Authority of India / Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — Discipline wise Participation in all editions of Khelo India Games (19th Edition) (2026-08-29)
TOPS eligibility: In scope — TOPS covers Olympic medal prospects
Olympic status: On the Olympic programme
Paralympic status: Not a Paralympic discipline

Handball is listed on SportSupport in the team category. Its recorded origin is 19th century Europe. It is on the Olympic programme. We list Handball Federation of India as the Indian governing/organising body for the sport.

Handball is on the pathway that runs through India's national sports federations to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), with selection running through Handball Federation of India against its published benchmarks. Being on this pathway is not itself a statement that the discipline is currently in TOPS — TOPS covers a Core Group and a Development Group chosen by the Mission Olympic Cell. Handball appears on the official Khelo India Games discipline list as "Handball", so junior talent identified by the discipline's selectors can be considered under Khelo India Talent Identification & Development (KITID). (Source: Sports Authority of India / Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — Discipline wise Participation in all editions of Khelo India Games (19th Edition).)

Scholarships & Funding

Central, state and private scholarships available for handball athletes in India.

Khelo India Talent Identification & Development (KITID)
Monthly stipend (₹10,000 for selected Khelo India athletes), boarding, coaching and kit at accredited centres for talent identified through the Khelo India selection process (Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports). Applies only to disciplines on the official Khelo India Games list, and only to athletes it selects.
Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)
Central government scheme covering training, foreign exposure, equipment and an out-of-pocket allowance (up to ₹50,000/month) for athletes inducted by the Mission Olympic Cell. TOPS covers a Core Group and a Development Group of disciplines rather than every Olympic sport, and induction is decided athlete by athlete; we hold no current list confirming whether handball is among the covered disciplines.
National Sports Development Fund (NSDF)
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports fund used to sponsor elite athletes' training, foreign coaches and equipment. Allocations are made case by case; we hold no record of NSDF support specific to handball.
Pension for Meritorious Sportspersons
Lifetime monthly pension (₹20,000 for Olympic/World/Asian/CWG medallists; scaled by tier) for retired internationals who meet the scheme's medal criteria — Government of India.

Explore all government schemes →

Indian Players

6 profiles

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Rules

Two teams of 7 (including a goalkeeper) pass and dribble a ball, scoring by throwing it into the opponent's goal. Players cannot take more than 3 steps without dribbling. Matches run two 30-minute halves.

Authoritative rulebook: Handball Federation of India. Age-group and school-level variations are published by SGFI and the state associations each season.

Positions

Typical roles across team sports. These are category-level descriptions, not a sourced handball squad list.

Attackers / forwards
Primary scorers who operate closest to the opposition goal or scoring zone.
Midfielders / all-rounders
Link play between defence and attack; usually the highest work-rate positions.
Defenders
Deny the opposition space and possession in the defensive third.
Goalkeeper / last line
Specialist stopper with distinct kit and rules; the final line of defence.
Captain & vice-captain
On-field leadership, decision-making and communication with match officials.

Equipment

Standard kit and infrastructure required to train and compete in handball at a federation-recognised event.

Handball (smaller, grippier than a football)
Goal (2m x 3m)
Court (40m x 20m)
Indoor court shoes

Governing/organising body

Body listed on SportSupport

Handball Federation of India

Handball Federation of India is the body we list as the Indian governing/organising body for Handball. We hold no confirmed Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports recognition record for it, so nothing here states that it is currently recognised.

Origin: 19th century Europe
Olympic: Yes
Paralympic: No
Category: Team

HFI profile →All federations →

Major Indian Events

Domestic competitions we hold a source for in handball.

Senior National Handball Championship
India's primary domestic competition, first held in 1972 at Rohtak, Haryana. Organized continuously since by the Handball Association of India (HAI), which succeeded the Handball Federation of India as the officially recognized governing body in 2023.

International Events

Continental and world-level competitions we hold a source for in handball.

Asian Men's / Women's Handball Championship
India has competed in the men's championship since 1979 and the women's since 1993.
South Asian Games
India's women's team has won gold at both editions the sport has been contested (2016 and 2019), making them the most successful handball nation in South Asia.
Wheelchair Handball World Championship
India's national wheelchair team competed at the inaugural 2022 edition, finishing 4th.

Leagues

Franchise and professional leagues catalogued for handball. Full season data, champions and schedule filters are available in the sidebar.

Domestic · Since 2024
Premier Handball League
India's first franchise handball league, launched by the Handball Association of India and Bluesport Entertainment with six city-based teams.
Domestic · Since 1972
Senior National Handball Championship
HAI's flagship national-team championship contested annually by state and institutional sides.
International · Since 1977
Asian Men's Handball Championship
Continental championship of the Asian Handball Federation and the primary World Championship qualification pathway for India.
International · Since 1938
IHF World Men's Handball Championship
Top international handball competition, contested biennially by 32 national teams.

All leagues →

International Players

Globally recognised handball athletes to know outside India.

The international federation for handball maintains the current world ranking — check the federation site for the up-to-date top names.

Career Options

Ways to build a career in handball — on the field, on the sidelines and behind the scenes.

Playing pathway through HAI's 43 state member associations and the Senior National Championship
India's women's programme — the strongest in South Asia — offers a particularly well-established route to international competition
Coaching certification through HAI and Asian Handball Federation courses
Wheelchair handball offers a parallel competitive pathway for para-athletes under HAI's oversight

Explore sports careers →Coaches directory →

Related academies

6 listed

SAI Western Centre, GandhinagarNational
Gandhinagar, Gujarat · Since 1986
Western India's residential SAI centre with full sports-science support; its athletics, powerlifting and swimming programmes here are para disciplines.
Sports School cum Sports College, JalandharState
Jalandhar, Punjab · Since 1961
Punjab government residential sports school and college on a 10-acre Jalandhar campus.
SDAT Sports Hostel, AriyalurState
Ariyalur, Tamil Nadu · Since 2013
Government residential sports hostel run by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu. Boys hostel with 60 places allotted and 62 athletes present in the department's 2024-25 strength statement.
Rajasthan State Girls' Handball Academy, JaipurState
Jaipur, Rajasthan
One of Rajasthan's 12 state sports academies — a residential girls' handball academy at Jaipur with 18 places, run free of charge by the Rajasthan State Sports Council.
Sports Hostel, UnaState
Una, Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh government sports hostel at Una, providing free boarding, lodging and medical care across seven disciplines.
Sports Hostel, BilaspurState
Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh government sports hostel at Bilaspur, providing free boarding, lodging and medical care across seven disciplines.

All academies →List your academy →

Government Schemes

3 listed

Central and state schemes that fund training, stipends and awards for handball athletes and academies.

All government schemes →

FAQs

Common questions about handball in India.

Who governs Handball in India?▾

We list Handball Federation of India as the Indian governing/organising body for Handball, and state associations affiliated to it run age-group and state-level competition. We hold no current-year Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports recognition record for it, so this is not a statement that it is currently a recognised national sports federation — recognition is granted year by year.

Is Handball an Olympic sport?▾

Yes, Handball is on the Olympic programme. Athletes selected by Handball Federation of India against its published criteria can be considered for TOPS funding.

How do I start playing Handball in India?▾

The usual routes are a school team under the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), a college team under the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), or a private academy affiliated to your state association under Handball Federation of India. Age-group state championships follow from there.

What government schemes support Handball athletes?▾

TOPS supports a Core Group and a Development Group of disciplines selected by the Mission Olympic Cell, rather than every Olympic sport. We hold no current list confirming whether Handball is among them, so we make no TOPS claim for it. State governments give cash awards to medallists at events they notify. Handball appears on the official Khelo India Games discipline list as "Handball", so athletes identified by the discipline's selectors can be considered under Khelo India Talent Identification & Development (KITID). Appearing on the list is not itself a grant of funding.

Handball in every state & UT

Dedicated pages for Handball in each Indian state and Union Territory — academies, schemes, athletes and how to start.

Handball