Kathmandu, May 27

Organisers of the National Women’s Club Volleyball Championships, Sher Bahadur Khadka Memorial Trust reached an agreement with KNP Japan Pvt Ltd today.

President of the Trust Ranjan Khadka and Country Director of KNP Japan — a subsidiary of Kansai Nerolac Paints — Manoj Mishra exchanged the Memorandum of Understanding amidst a programme. As per the MoU, KNP Japan will provide Rs 500,000 to the Trust as the title sponsor of the third edition of the tournament slated for June 6-9.

A total of six teams — defending champions Nepal APF Club, New Diamond Academy, Nepal Police Club, Western Regional Volleyball Association, Tribhuvan Army Club and Jawalakhel Volleyball Training Centre — will compete in the league-cum-knockout tournament, informed Trust President Khadka. All the matches of the championships will be held at the National Sports Council covered hall.

Top three teams will earn Rs 150,000, Rs 75,000 and Rs 50,000 respectively, while the best player of the championship will get Rs 15,000 and also get two-way tickets to Malaysia from Air Asia. The best spiker, quicker, setter, blocker, defender and server along with coach and rising player of the tournament will get Rs 3,000 apiece. The Foundation will also honour a player with the Sher Bahadur Khadka Special Award during the closing ceremony of the tournament with Rs 10,000.

General Secretary of Nepal Volleyball Association Jitendra Chand lauded Sher Bahadur Memorial Trust for its active involvement in the development of volleyball. “The Trust has done a commendable job by bringing in multinational company into the sport which will ultimately help in the development of volleyball in the country,” he said.

Khadka said the Trust was doing a lot of social service apart from volleyball activities. “As a gesture towards women spikers, we have been supporting national team members Aruna Shahi and Pratibha Mali with Rs 2,000 per month since July last year. The amount is not a big one but we believe it helps them in their career,” said Khadka.

Country Director Mishra said the sponsorship was part of KNP Japan’s CSR initiative. “We believe that multinational companies like ours play a key role in the development of the society and we can make a distinct identity through sports,” said Mishra. “Last year we were associated with this event as a small partner and this year we decided to become the title sponsor,” he added. The main sponsors will also decorate the tournament venue.

NVA President Manoranjan Raman Sharma thanked all the parties who were involved in making volleyball the national sport. “The government has given us a new responsibility and we will not leave any stone unturned to take volleyball to a new height,” said Sharma.