April 14, Rolpa – An open men’s volleyball tournament offering a prize pool of NPR 111,111 is set to take place in Parivartan Rural Municipality, West North Rolpa. The competition will be held from April 18 to April 25 at Bagmara of Parivartan Rural Municipality-3, coinciding with the 28th annual celebration of the Lali Gurans Youth Club. According to Hiralal Khadka, president of the Lali Gurans Youth Club, the tournament’s winning team will receive NPR 111,111 in cash, along with trophies, medals, and certificates.
Additionally, the runner-up team will be awarded NPR 51,111 cash, medals, and certificates, while the two semifinalist teams will each receive NPR 25,111 along with medals and certificates. In the open women’s volleyball category, the champion team will be granted NPR 35,555 in cash, trophies, medals, and certificates. The runner-up team will get NPR 20,555 with medals and certificates, and the two semifinalists will be awarded NPR 10,555 in cash, as per the organizers.
The Lali Gurans Youth Club, based in West Rolpa, became the first institution in the region to organize an open volleyball tournament with such a substantial prize fund. Until now, no volleyball tournament in West Rolpa has offered such a large prize pool. In terms of club registration in Rolpa district, Sunstar Youth Club ranks first, followed by Lali Gurans Youth Club in second place. Established on April 18, 1998 (B.S. 2055, Baishakh 5), under the leadership of President Bishwakumar Chand, Lali Gurans Youth Club has been active in various activities and has succeeded in producing national and regional level athletes.
The Government of Nepal declared volleyball as an official national sport on May 22, 2017 (B.S. 2074, Jestha 8). The then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda)-led cabinet made this decision considering the sport’s popularity and geographical accessibility across the Himalayas, hills, and plains. Despite nine years since its declaration, Nepal has yet to establish a formal volleyball hall. Nonetheless, many districts in western Nepal regularly host volleyball tournaments, and numerous clubs and organizations in Rolpa conduct volleyball competitions on a regular basis.
