Abhijit Bhattacharya, a former captain of the Indian men’s national volleyball team, has been named the global winner of the 2025 International Olympic Committee Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champions Award in recognition of his transformative grassroots work in rural India.
Bhattacharya was honoured for creating inclusive volleyball initiatives in Assam that have opened the door for thousands of children, especially girls, to take part in organised sport.
Alongside the global winner, the IOC also announced five continental winners. Racheal Kundananji of Zambia was recognised for Africa, Mónica Elvira Franco Luzcando of Panama for the Americas, Kim Yeon-koung of South Korea for Asia, Michele Kang of France for Europe, and Robyn Cockburn of New Zealand for Oceania.
Following his elite playing career, Bhattacharya launched the Assam Volleyball Mission 100 and the Brahmaputra Volleyball League, two projects that now reach more than 12,000 children across 400 teams in rural and underserved communities. The initiatives were designed to guarantee equal access for girls and boys, while also bringing sport directly into villages and removing barriers that often prevent young people from participating.
The Brahmaputra Volleyball League, launched in 2020, has since grown into one of the largest community-based grassroots leagues in the world. It developed from the Assam Volleyball Mission 100, which began in 2019 with the aim of distributing 100 volleyballs to villages. That vision later expanded into the establishment of 100 village clubs and the creation of a structured league.
Each village entering the competition registers equal teams for girls and boys in under 12 and under 16 categories, with matches played locally to make participation easier and more accessible. For many girls in these communities, it has provided a first-ever opportunity to play organised sport and even travel beyond their village.
Gender equality remains at the core of the project. More than 750 matches are broadcast every season without any distinction between girls’ and boys’ competitions, ensuring equal visibility. Young people from the local communities are also involved in production, live streaming and digital storytelling, allowing them to gain practical skills and leadership experience away from the court.
Through a UNICEF-supported programme, 45 girls and 45 boys have also been trained as community ambassadors, helping promote gender equality, education and social responsibility in their villages.
Bhattacharya said the award was deeply emotional for him, not only as recognition of his own efforts, but also as a tribute to the volunteers, parents and young girls who believed they belonged on the volleyball court.
He also underlined that Assam is often underrepresented in national sport development, and said the honour shows how a grassroots movement can make a significant difference in people’s lives.
Beyond participation, Bhattacharya has worked to ensure young female athletes are given safe and supportive environments. Coaches have been trained to address gender specific barriers with greater sensitivity, while programmes focusing on safeguarding and menstrual hygiene awareness have helped reduce dropout rates among adolescent girls.
He has also prioritised leadership opportunities for women in volleyball by encouraging former players to become coaches, referees and technical officials. One notable step in this direction was a coaching course in Assam, delivered with the support of the FIVB Volleyball Foundation, which enabled 45 community coaches, with a strong emphasis on women and people from remote areas, to gain internationally recognised qualifications.
The recognition by the IOC highlights the growing impact of Bhattacharya’s work and the powerful role sport can play in promoting equality, confidence and opportunity in communities that have long remained on the margins.
