PANAJI: Committed to delivering a top-of-the-line handball experience and aiming to commercialise the sport in India, the Premier Handball League (PHL) announced ‘Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh’ as the second franchise to participate in the much-anticipated franchise-based inaugural edition of the league; states a press release.
Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh is owned by the Pavna Group of Industries, one of the leading automotive part solution companies in South East Asia. The group, apart from its business interests, is also involved in sports goods manufacturing and now with its latest association with the Premier Handball League, exclusively licensed to Bluesport Entertainment Pvt Ltd under the aegis of Handball Federation of India (HFI), aims to popularise the game and contribute to the growth of the sporting ecosystem in Uttar Pradesh.
“This association with the Pavna Group gives us, the PHL family, immense pleasure and we are proud to state that we both share similar goals which entails taking the sport of handball to the next level, both in the state of Uttar Pradesh and nationally for India.
“Uttar Pradesh has given many handball athletes to the nation since the beginning and the participation of the current ones in the league would further inspire the enthusiasts and the sport within the state. With the likes of such committed partners, I am also confident that the league will not only establish itself but work with an equal commitment to ensuring the handball ecosystem sees a sturdy growth in India,” said Manu Agrawal, CEO, Bluesport Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.
The Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh is headed by the young and dynamic entrepreneur Swapnil Jain, a multi-faceted man who shares a deep interest in the sport, with a vision to promote handball in Uttar Pradesh and put the state on the global map by creating world-class athletes from the region. The group, having firmly established its presence for over 50 years, now wants to provide a further boost to its mission of taking the sport to the masses, covering the entire northern part of the country.
“Handball is a popular sport and most schools in India have included it as a part of their sports curriculum. But with time, the popularity has faded. We as a stakeholder want to support handball and enable it to regain its glory and by joining hands with PHL. We hope to achieve this goal. Our objective will be to bring the awareness and the excitement of the sport back,” said Swapnil Jain, Managing Director, Pavna Group of Industries.
The league had earlier announced ‘Garvit Gujarat’ as its first franchise. The first season of PHL, which is set to take place next year, will bring an exciting and never-seen-before experience to the audience and will also provide Indian players the opportunity to rub shoulders with top international players from across the world and enhance their skills.
