- Odia boy Soumya Ranjan Samal makes Dhenkanal district and the state proud with India call-up
Meramandali, Odisha: Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) has once again demonstrated its commitment to nurturing grassroots sporting talent with Soumya Ranjan Samal, a trainee from its Volleyball Coaching Centre, earning a place in the Indian team for the 2026 AVC Boys’ U18 Volleyball Championship, to be held in Haikou, China, from July 12 to 18. The 17-year-old from Charadagadia village in Dhenkanal district is the only player from Odisha to be selected for the national squad, bringing immense pride to the state.
Organised by the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) and the China Volleyball Association (CVA), the AVC U-18 championship is Asia’s premier youth volleyball tournament and a qualifier for the 2027 FIVB Boys’ U19 World Championship, with the top four teams advancing as Asia’s representatives.
Soumya’s inspiring journey from a small village in Dhenkanal to the Indian national team reflects years of perseverance, discipline and dedicated mentoring. Introduced to volleyball by his father, Prashant Samal, a former state-level player, Soumya joined the Tata Steel Foundation Volleyball Coaching Centre at Paikapuranakote, where he developed his skills under the guidance of coach Ashutosh Patra.
Determined to excel, Soumya cycled nearly 40 kilometres daily for training while continuing his education. His consistent performances earned him admission to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) National Centre of Excellence in Thiruvananthapuram in 2025. He went on to represent Odisha at national championships, captain the SAI team at the Junior National Volleyball Championship in Rajasthan and secure his place in the Indian team following the Volleyball Federation of India’s national coaching camp.
Expressing his happiness, Soumya said, ” Wearing the India jersey is a proud moment for me and my family, and I am determined to give my best for the country at the AVC Championship.”
His father, Prashant Samal, said, “I would like to sincerely thank the efforts of Tata Steel Foundation and coach Ashutosh Patra for giving my son a platform to achieve everything from here. Now, this journey of my son will surely give hope and belief to many dedicated players across our region to aspire to play for India.”
Congratulating Soumya, Ashutosh Patra, Volleyball Coach, Tata Steel Foundation, said, “Soumya’s journey has been built on consistency, discipline and an eagerness to learn. His selection to the Indian team is a well-deserved recognition of years of hard work. We are proud of his achievement and confident that he will represent India with determination and excellence.”
Prof. (Dr.) Achyuta Samanta, President, Odisha Volleyball Association (OVA), congratulated Soumya and the Indian contingent on completing the national coaching camp at the International Centre of Excellence (ICoE) for Volleyball, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar, and wished them success at the AVC Championship.
Since its inception in 2019 with just 11 players, Tata Steel Foundation’s volleyball programme has grown to 668 young players, including over 120 girls, producing 215 district, 179 state and 35 national-level players.
