Sports lovers elated as Odisha volleyball star Rahul Barik selected in Indian team after 31 years

Sports lovers in Odisha will turn their attention and pin their hopes on attacking striker Rahul Barik when the Indian team will ply its trade at the Asian Men’s Volleyball Challenge Cup starting in Taipei from Saturday.

Rahul, who hails from Garam village under Balikuda block in Jagatsinghpur district, has made the State proud after getting selected in the Indian team as the second Odia player after 31-long years. Mohammed Masiu was the first volleyball player to be selected in the Indian team way back in 1992.

Rahul made it to the Indian team after impressing the selectors with his brilliant striking skills in the recently-concluded training camp of the India probable’s at Biju Patnaik Indoor Stadium.

As per reports, Rahul was a brilliant volleyball player from the school level. He honed his skills further and picked the subtle nuances of the game under the tutelage of the Paradip Port Sports Department coach Sanjay Das.

After his sparkling performance in the Inter-District Volleyball Championship, Rahul was selected in the State U-19 team in 2017. 

Based on his consistent performances in the U-19 level, he was elevated to the State U-21 team in 2019. With his clean striking skills, Rahul helped Utkal University emerge champions of the East Zone Volleyball Championship in the same year. He cemented his place in the State senior team in the next year and performed brilliantly in several national-level tournaments. During this period, he got an opportunity to have advanced training in volleyball at the Sports Hostel in Bhubaneswar.

“I am so proud of Rahul that he will represent India at the international level. After getting the news, I couldn’t sleep for a few days,” said Bhaktabandhu Das, PET of Garam High School.

“Rahul was a kind of volleyball prodigy. He took to volleyball like a duck takes to water. We had never expected even in our wildest of dreams that a member of our club will play volleyball in international level,” said Bijay Parida, Secretary of Green village Sports Club.

Meanwhile, Rahul’s parents are on cloud nine over their son’s success.

“We pray before God for Rahul’s success in the Indian team. We are hopeful that he will perform well in the international level and bring laurels for the country,” said Rahul’s proud father Prashant Barik.