October 4th 2024.
Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha, was buzzing with excitement as the world's largest volleyball tournament kicked off on Friday. This grand event, organized in collaboration with KIIT, KISS, and FIVB, brought together over 5,000 players from different parts of the world. The tournament was inaugurated by the esteemed FIVB President, Ary S Graça.
The opening ceremony was graced by the presence of many dignitaries, including US Consul General in Hyderabad, Jennifer Larson, FIVB General Director Fabio Azevedo, KIIT and KISS founder Achyuta Samanta, KIIT VC Saranjit Singh, KISS VC Deepak Behera, and KIIT director of sports Gaganendu Dash. They were all thrilled to be a part of this momentous occasion.
In his address, Graça expressed his hope that the FIVB's mission of using volleyball to serve the community would be fulfilled through this festival. He also praised KISS as an institution and commended the initiative, stating that volleyball could promote peace worldwide through the values of non-violence.
Achyuta Samanta, the founder of KIIT and KISS, was delighted to see the tremendous response from the participants and over 40,000 spectators who came to witness the festival. He extended his gratitude to Graça for gracing the event with his presence. The festival has also been nominated for recognition by the Guinness Book of World Records for hosting the largest volleyball tournament.
During the event, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between KISS and FIVB to promote the growth of volleyball in the state and the country. The collaboration aims to utilize the excellent volleyball infrastructure at KISS to nurture and train future players. In addition, KIIT and KISS announced the launch of the 'Samanta-Graça' scholarship, which will provide opportunities for talented volleyball players to pursue undergraduate or postgraduate education at KIIT and KISS.
The KISS Volleyball Festival has not only brought together players from all over the world but also has the potential to leave a lasting impact on the growth and development of the sport in India. With the support of esteemed organizations like KIIT, KISS, and FIVB, the future of volleyball in India looks bright and promising.
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