New Delhi, Aug 16 (Sports news) Premier Handball League (PHL) on Monday announced Garvit Gujarat as the first team to compete at the inaugural edition of six-team event scheduled next year.

"We are delighted to welcome Garvit Sports Private Limited into the PHL family," Abhinav Banthia, President, Bluesport Entertainment Pvt Ltd, which owns the exclusive license for the event, said in a release.

"Gujarat has a strong fan base for handball and getting a team from there will attract more support for the sport and help handball to grow in India." The Premier Handball League (PHL), which will be held under the aegis of Handball Federation of India (HFI), was scheduled to take place in December-January but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will now take place next year.

The Gujarat-based team, one of the six teams competing at the event, is owned by Garvit Sports Private Limited (GSPL).

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Roopkumar Naidu, a former handball player and co-owner of GSPL, said he wants to bring in global exposure as well as tap into the commercial viability of the sport.

"Handball is in my DNA. I have played the game at all levels including district, state, national and international and, I am aware of the demands and needs of the game," said Naidu, who was part of the Indian team at the Asian Championships in Nanjing, China in 1979 as well as the Asian Games in 1982.

"As an administrator, while I was posted in Gandhinagar from 2014-2018, I did get the opportunity to develop the infrastructure and ensure players from SAI academy win multiple gold medals.

"I am confident that with a representation in the Premier Handball League, Garvit Gujarat will be able to take the sport to the next level and provide national and global exposure to the game as well as the players of Gujarat," said Naidu, Founder-Director of Garvit Gujarat.

News source: PTI