Nagpur is set to become the epicenter of Indian handball as the much-anticipated Handball Pro League (HPL) is scheduled to launch on February 10. The six-day sporting spectacle will unfold at the Mankapur Indoor Stadium, bringing together the nation's top talent for a high-stakes competition.
League Structure and Financial Muscle
The inaugural season of the HPL will feature a robust 10-team format, split equally between men's and women's categories. The total prize pool for the league is an impressive Rs 50 lakhs. Each of the five teams in the men's and women's sections will vie for a winner's prize fund of Rs 10 lakh in their respective categories.
Rajesh Naidu, the Managing Director of the HPL, provided details about the player selection process. He informed that the auction for Indian players was conducted recently at a city hotel. Through this process, 70 players were selected for the main teams, with an additional 35 identified as standbys.
Franchise Teams and International Flavour
Naidu also unveiled the team owners and coaches during a media briefing. In the men's section, franchises from Nagpur, Mumbai, Wardha, Bhilai, and Hyderabad will compete. The women's league will see team owners from Nagpur, Mumbai, Chandrapur, Ahmedabad, and Lucknow.
Roopkumar Naidu, former India captain and CEO of the HPL, revealed significant financial commitment from the franchisees. Each owner has invested a minimum of Rs 25 lakh. He added that all franchise owners have the option to bolster their squads by adding a maximum of two international players. Negotiations with international clubs are currently underway. If every team exercises this option, the league could witness as many as 20 international stars showcasing their skills.
Reviving Nagpur's Handball Legacy
Babanrao Taywade, Chairman of the Nagpur District Handball Association (NDHA), highlighted the league's significance for the city's sporting heritage. He recalled that Nagpur was once a mine of handball talent. Taywade expressed hope that the inaugural HPL season will play a pivotal role in reviving the sport's popularity. Our aim is to again produce international stars from Nagpur, he stated, emphasizing that the HPL presents the biggest opportunity for players to showcase their talent on a grand stage.
The action-packed league will see a total of 24 matches played from February 10 to 15. The schedule is set for four matches per day during the six-day inaugural season, promising non-stop excitement for handball enthusiasts.
