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Bhubaneswar, 2/9/2025 ( Odisha Samachar )A distinguished delegation from the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), including Mr. Steve Tutton, General Sports Director, and Mr. Hitesh Malhotra, Empowerment and NF Relations, visited KIIT and KISS to explore the establishment of a world-class Volleyball and Beach Volleyball Excellence Centre aimed at advancing the sport in India. The proposed excellence centre would play a pivotal role in developing the sport with emphasis on athlete training, performance enhancement, recovery and rehabilitation, supported by strong foundations in sports physiology, sports nutrition, physiotherapy, and other allied sciences.
The visit commenced at the KIMS Super Speciality Complex, where the delegation was welcomed and given an orientation to the extensive medical and sports science facilities. They toured the Reception and OPD Complex, where outpatient services, recovery rooms, nutrition support, and kitchen facilities were demonstrated. This was followed by a walkthrough of the Physiotherapy Unit, guided by the Head of Physiotherapy, who presented advanced modalities for treatment and introduced the specialised sports rehabilitation team. At the Department of Physiology, the visitors were shown ongoing sports research and exercise testing facilities, including heart rate monitoring, body composition analysis, ECG, and neurophysiology testing. The delegation expressed great appreciation for the integrated approach adopted by KIIT, KISS & KIMS in ensuring athletes’ medical and physiological well-being.
The tour continued to the sports facilities of KIIT DU, beginning with visits to both the indoor and outdoor beach volleyball courts. The delegation was also shown the athlete accommodation at Campus 6 Guest House, followed by the nutrition and dining facilities at Campus 12, located in KIIT Tower. Further, they examined the rehabilitation and recovery infrastructure, including hydrotherapy and sauna facilities, at the Multi-Purpose Indoor Stadium, and concluded their inspection of sports infrastructure with a visit to the academic and educational support areas. Throughout the day, the delegation was accompanied by dignitaries from KIIT, KISS, and KIMS, who showcased the state-of-the-art facilities and highlighted their holistic integration for athlete development.
A key highlight of the visit was the delegation’s meeting with Prof. (Dr.) Achyuta Samanta, Founder of KIIT, KISS & KIMS. The officials expressed their gratitude to Dr. Samanta for his dedication to the promotion of volleyball in India. Under his leadership and his tenure as the President of VFI, KIIT and KISS have successfully hosted numerous state and national championships and camps for the Indian National Teams. Through his support, KIIT and KISS have also nurtured talented players who have gone on to win medals at prestigious events such as the CAVA Women’s Volleyball Challenge Cup, the 14th U-18 Asian Championships, the U-20 Boys’ Asian Championships, and the ABC Cup. The delegation also commended the contribution of KIIT, KISS, and Dr. Samanta for the recent achievements of athletes at the World University Games in Germany, as well as the remarkable qualification of seven athletes for the upcoming World Athletics Championship in Tokyo. To honour his contributions, the delegation presented Dr. Samanta with a volleyball that was used at the Paris Olympic Volleyball Games, a memento gifted to him by the FIVB President, Mr. Fabio Azevedo.
The FIVB delegation was deeply impressed by the infrastructure and vision of KIIT and KISS and expressed keen interest in partnering with the institutions to establish a High-Performance and Excellence Centre for volleyball, with a particular emphasis on beach volleyball. In this context, Dr. Samanta articulated his vision of transforming India’s untapped and beautiful coastal regions into vibrant hubs for volleyball and other sports, thereby promoting coastal tourism alongside sporting excellence. He highlighted that such an integrated approach would not only strengthen India’s sporting culture but also drive holistic development of the coastal belt through sports-led tourism initiatives. Recognising India’s vast coastline and the relative ease of developing elite beach volleyball teams compared to indoor volleyball, both the delegation and Dr. Samanta saw immense potential for the discipline in the country. Dr. Samanta further underlined his ambition of enabling India to emerge as a strong contender at international mega-events such as the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and global leagues, with KIIT and KISS serving as the central hub for talent identification, training, and development in partnership with FIVB.
The delegation also emphasised the importance of developing strong grassroots programs and assured support for coach education and training initiatives, including the deployment of foreign coaches to strengthen technical expertise. They confirmed plans to revisit KIIT and KISS in December, along with the FIVB President, Mr. Fabio Azevedo. During this visit, they aim to host a Grand Volleyball Festival for Girls under the “KanyaKiran” initiative, which will bring together over 3,000-4000 female participants from across Eastern India. Additionally, specialised training programs for female coaches and physical education teachers will be conducted to enhance coaching practices and drive grassroots development of the sport.
In conclusion, the visit of the FIVB delegation to KIIT and KISS was a landmark moment in the journey towards positioning the institutions as a central hub for volleyball development in India. The officials expressed deep faith in the leadership and vision of Dr. Achyuta Samanta, recognising its strong alignment with FIVB’s global mission of advancing volleyball. Their commitment to establishing collaborative programs and a world-class excellence centre holds immense promise for the growth of volleyball, particularly beach volleyball across India.
