Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai Inaugurates 37th Federation Cup Volleyball Championship

Raipur, February 2026 : Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai today inaugurated the 37th Federation Cup Volleyball Championship at the Sardar Balbir Singh Juneja Indoor Stadium in Raipur. The championship is being organised by the Chhattisgarh State Volleyball Association from February 3 to February 8. A total of 16 teams, featuring several players who have represented India at the international level, are participating in the tournament.

Teams from various states, along with units such as Railways, Services and Indian Universities, are taking part in the championship. In the men’s category, 10 teams are competing, while 6 teams are participating in the women’s category.

After inaugurating the Federation Cup, Chief Minister Sai stayed back at the indoor stadium to watch the entire opening match played between Tamil Nadu and Services. He left the stadium only after the closely contested encounter concluded. MLA Shri Sunil Soni was also present at the inauguration ceremony.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Sai welcomed players from across the country to the land of Chhattisgarh. He said that volleyball teaches important values such as teamwork, cooperation and coordination. He highlighted that players from Chhattisgarh have brought considerable recognition to the state in volleyball and assured that the government is continuously focusing on improving infrastructure and training so that state players can showcase their talent and skills to their fullest potential at national and international platforms.

The Chief Minister said that the state government has revived the State Sports Awards, which had been discontinued for several years, to encourage athletes. He announced that players from Chhattisgarh representing the state at the Olympic Games will receive an incentive of ₹21 lakh from the government. In addition, prize money of ₹3 crore for a gold medal, ₹2 crore for a silver medal, and ₹1 crore for a bronze medal will be awarded. He added that sports are giving Chhattisgarh a new identity at the national and global level.

Referring to grassroots sports initiatives, Chief Minister Sai said that the Bastar Olympics have been organised in the state for the last two years. While around 1.65 lakh participants took part in the first year, participation increased to nearly 4 lakh in the second year, reflecting growing enthusiasm for sports among the people.

Chhattisgarh Volleyball Association President Shri Mahesh Gagda, in his welcome address, shared details about the championship’s format and schedule. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Raipur District Panchayat President Shri Naveen Agrawal, Chhattisgarh Olympic Association Secretary Shri Vikram Sisodia, Volleyball Federation of India General Secretary Shri Ramanand Chaudhary, Madhya Pradesh Volleyball Association President Shri Rudrapratap Singh, Chhattisgarh Volleyball Association Secretary Shri Hemprakash Nayak, Raipur Municipal Corporation Speaker Shri Suryakant Rathore, along with Shri Rahul Kaushik, Shri Vinod Nair, officials from various volleyball associations, players and a large number of sports enthusiasts.

Participating Teams

In the men’s category, teams from Railways, Services, Indian University, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh are competing. In the women’s category, teams from Railways, Indian University, Kerala, Haryana, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh are participating. Several of these teams include players who have represented India at the international level.