Tennis Volleyball in India 1970 — Leagues, Champions & Athletes

Verified profileAchievements, tournaments, coaches and scholarships on this page are compiled from federation and government sources (Tennis Volleyball Federation of India (tennisvolleyball.com), Give.do — Tennis Volleyball Federation of India nonprofit listing).

Overview

Governing body: Tennis Volleyball Federation of India
Origin: India
Olympic discipline: No
Category: Team
Total players listed: …

Tennis Volleyball is one of India's most-followed disciplines. The Tennis Volleyball Federation of India oversees national federation activity, talent identification and Olympic qualification pathways. Major support flows in through TOPS and Khelo India for athletes who clear federation benchmarks.

Tennis Volleyball is not currently on the Olympic programme, but it sits firmly inside India's broader sporting ecosystem. The discipline receives support through the Khelo India movement, multi-sport events such as the National Games and Asian Games trials wherever the sport is contested, and dedicated league or championship structures run by the federation. Sponsorship, broadcast deals and private academies often fill the gap that direct government funding leaves, and several state governments offer cash awards, government jobs and land grants to medallists at the National Games and recognised world championships.

As a team sport, Tennis Volleyball in India is built around a club, district and state structure that culminates in national-level inter-state competition. State associations affiliated to the Tennis Volleyball Federation of India run age-group leagues from under-14 upwards, with the strongest pools historically coming from states with established grassroots infrastructure. Franchise leagues — where they exist — sit on top of this pyramid and have transformed athlete earnings, broadcast visibility and the professionalisation of coaching and support staff. School and college tournaments under SGFI and AIU remain the primary discovery route for players who do not come through a private academy.

At the grassroots, the route into Tennis Volleyball typically starts at school under the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), at the inter-university level under the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), or through a private academy registered with the state association. The Khelo India Youth Games and Khelo India University Games are the largest single discovery platforms — athletes who reach the podium at these events become eligible for the Khelo India Talent Development scheme, which funds boarding, coaching, kit, education and a monthly stipend at accredited centres. State sports awards and central government jobs under the sports quota remain a powerful incentive for athletes from smaller towns.

Tennis Volleyball originated in India, and in India it has developed a distinct character shaped by the country's geography, demographics and sporting culture. Whether you want to compete, coach, sponsor, write about or simply follow Tennis Volleyball, the practical starting point is the same: connect with your state association under the Tennis Volleyball Federation of India, identify the nearest SAI centre or accredited academy, and track the Khelo India and federation calendars for the events that decide selection at every level. Tennis Volleyball is played and developed across India under the Tennis Volleyball Federation of India, with grassroots programmes, state associations and national-level competition pathways.

History

How tennis volleyball evolved globally and took root in India.

Tennis Volleyball traces its modern origins to India. Codified rules, standard equipment and international competition took shape as the sport spread beyond its birthplace, and Tennis Volleyball Federation of India is the body that carried it into organised Indian competition.

In India, tennis volleyball grew through princely-state patronage, defence-service teams, universities and state associations. Post-independence, the discipline was formalised under Tennis Volleyball Federation of India, national championships were instituted, and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) later brought it into the centralised high-performance system with dedicated centres, coaching cadres and sports-science support.

Tennis Volleyball sits outside the Olympic programme but is firmly part of India's Asian Games, Commonwealth and National Games map, with state governments backing medallists through cash awards, jobs and land grants.

Indian Players

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Rules

Tennis volleyball is played on a tennis-sized court with a net raised between the two halves, combining volleyball's rally structure with tennis's court markings and service pattern. The ball is played over the net with the hands, and teams — commonly of two to four players a side — may use a limited number of touches before returning it, with the point lost if the ball is grounded in the court, sent out of bounds or driven into the net. Play is scored in sets on a rally-point basis, with service rotating between sides. Because the court is smaller than a volleyball court and the net lower than in tennis, the game rewards placement, wrist control and quick lateral movement rather than power hitting.

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

Positions

Key roles, events or positions inside a tennis volleyball squad or competition.

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 tennis volleyball at a federation-recognised event.

Tennis-sized court with net posts and a raised net
Soft volleyball-style ball suited to hand play
Court shoes with lateral support
Knee pads and light sportswear
Net height gauge, boundary tape and scoreboard for organized play

Governing body

National federation

Tennis Volleyball Federation of India

Tennis Volleyball Federation of India is the recognised national body for Tennis Volleyball in India. It sets the domestic calendar, selection norms, coaching curriculum and anti-doping compliance, and is affiliated to the international federation for tennis volleyball. State associations under Tennis Volleyball Federation of India run age-group competition and feed the national talent pipeline.

Origin: India
Olympic: No
Category: Team

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Major Indian Events

Domestic championships, Khelo India events, National Games and franchise leagues that shape the tennis volleyball calendar in India.

National Tennis Volleyball Championship
Organized by the Tennis Volleyball Federation of India (established 2012, headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra), reaching at least its 18th edition by 2017. The sport has a genuine, if regionally concentrated, competitive base — the 2017 national final was contested between Maharashtra and Gujarat, with strong intra-state rivalries visible at the regional level (e.g. Sangli vs Solapur).

International Events

Continental and world-level competitions where India competes in tennis volleyball.

International presence
Limited documentation is publicly available; one reference notes Indian participation at a 2017 World Games event in Kathmandu, Nepal, though format and results were not clearly confirmable from available sources.

Leagues

No dedicated professional league is currently catalogued for tennis volleyball. The national championship under Tennis Volleyball Federation of India remains the top domestic competition.

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International Players

Globally recognised tennis volleyball athletes to know outside India.

Lionel Messi (Argentina)
8-time Ballon d'Or; 2022 World Cup winner.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
5-time Ballon d'Or; Euro 2016 champion.
Kylian Mbappé (France)
2018 World Cup winner; multiple Ligue 1 top scorer.
Erling Haaland (Norway)
Manchester City forward; Premier League Golden Boot.
Manuel Neuer (Germany)
2014 World Cup-winning goalkeeper; Bayern Munich legend.

Records

Where to find India's official tennis volleyball record book.

Olympic medalsN/A
Tennis Volleyball is not on the Olympic programme, so India records this discipline through Asian Games, Commonwealth, World and Continental championships instead.
Asian Games medalsTracked
India's Asian Games results in tennis volleyball are compiled by the Indian Olympic Association and the Tennis Volleyball Federation of India.
Commonwealth medalsTracked
Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Championship medals in tennis volleyball are maintained by the Tennis Volleyball Federation of India.
World Championship medalsTracked
Senior, junior and youth World Championship medal records are held by the international federation for tennis volleyball and mirrored by Tennis Volleyball Federation of India.
National record holdersFederation register
Tennis Volleyball Federation of India publishes the current senior, junior and sub-junior national records and updates them after every ratified event.

Career Options

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

Tennis volleyball remains a genuinely small, largely Maharashtra-centred sport in India with thin public documentation compared to more established racquet and team sports
Playing pathway through the federation's state and national championship structure
The sport's own promotional materials emphasize all-round fitness and enjoyment rather than professional or scholarship pathways

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Related academies

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Government Schemes

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

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FAQs

Common questions about tennis volleyball in India.

Who governs Tennis Volleyball in India?▾

Tennis Volleyball Federation of India is the recognised national federation for Tennis Volleyball in India. State associations under Tennis Volleyball Federation of India run age-group and state-level competition and feed the national talent pipeline.

Is Tennis Volleyball an Olympic sport?▾

Tennis Volleyball is not currently on the Olympic programme, but India competes at Asian Games, Commonwealth Games (where recognised), World Championships and other continental events sanctioned by Tennis Volleyball Federation of India.

How do I start playing Tennis Volleyball in India?▾

Join a school team under SGFI, a college team under AIU, or a private academy affiliated to your state association. From there, age-group state championships and Khelo India events are the standard route into the national pipeline.

What government schemes support Tennis Volleyball athletes?▾

The core schemes are Khelo India (talent development stipends, scholarships and boarding at accredited centres), TOPS (funding for elite athletes preparing for the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games), and state-government cash awards, jobs and land grants for medallists. Federation-specific schemes may also apply.

Where can I train for Tennis Volleyball?▾

Sports Authority of India (SAI) national centres of excellence, Khelo India accredited academies, state sports institutes and private academies registered with the state association are the standard training venues. The Academies section on this page lists options.

How are Indian Tennis Volleyball athletes selected for international events?▾

Tennis Volleyball Federation of India runs selection trials — typically the senior national championship, a dedicated trial event, or ranking-based selection — and publishes the selection policy each season. Objective criteria (times, distances, ranking points, weight-class results) dominate at the elite level.

Tennis Volleyball in every state & UT

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

Tennis Volleyball