Mukundan

Indian International Volleyball Player

Indian International Volleyball Player From Vatakara.

Tom Joseph

Indian International Volleyball Player

Indian International Volleyball Player Arjuna Award Winner From Thottilpalam, Kozhikode District.

William G Morgan

Founder of Volleyball

Volleyball game was invented by William G.Morgan in the year 1895 in Holyoke, Massachusetts U.S.A When Morgan went to Holyoke after leaving Springfield School in 1894, he found that many people didn't want to play basketball. So a game was needed which was more recreational than anything else and involves more people. The game of Volleyball was invented as a recreational game. The first demonstration of Volleyball play was given at Springfield School in 1896. The rule was given by Morgan written in longhand. The game was named as ' Mintonette'. The name was changed to Volleyball in the year 1896 as the purpose in this game was to volley the ball back and forth over the net after a demonstration at school for Children workers ( presently Springfield College). 1940 at age of 68, William G.Morgan, the creator of Volleyball, died.

K.Bhaskaran Nair

Former State President & VFI Vice President

Kozhikode District Volleyball Association former President State Volleyball Association Former President Volleyball Federation of India Former Vice President

K. Abdurahiman

Indian International Volleyball Player from Vatak

15th December 1999 was a dark day for Indian Volleyball as it lost one of the dearest sons-Olympian K.Abdurahiman, a genius to whom the game of Volleyball owes its immense popularity in the country.Rahman started playing Volleyball at a very tender age of twelve. Rehman's contribution to the sports activities of Mahe, Purameri, Vattoli and Vatakara(BEM) schools was so immense that he was invited by several private colleges to join them as they felt that his talent would bring glory to their institutions. His option went in favor of Devagiri College, Kozhikode. During his school days at Vatakara BEM , Rehman had the company of excellent stars like Iringal Pappan, T.P.Bhaskara Kurup, P.Mukundan, Poovadam Prabhakaran, T.P.Balakrishnan etc... Rahman's careergraph shot up abruptly as he became a member of the Malabar Gymkhana Club, whose formation opened a new and remarkable phase in Vatakara's Volleyball.Gymkhana Club emerged Madras State Champions beating even the sterner opposition for whom the spiking giant Palanichamy was the spearhead, thanks to the thundering smashes unleashed by Rehman. Rahman walked into the state squad in no time and donned Indian blazers in several competitions including the 1958 Tokyo Asian Games. The pronouncing aspects of Rahiman's game were his spectacular leap. enchanting action and brute power and these put him on the top rung. His movement before executing a smash was elegant, his action while spiking was catapulting and his strides after the spike rhythmic. When the player in Rahman called it quits, it was the turn of the coach in him to contribute to the game. Rehman has contributed substantially to Volleyball both as a player and as coach. So long as Volleyball is played on our soil, Rahman's exploits on the court will not fade from the Volley-lovers' memory.

Paul Fernandes

Founder Member of District Volleyball Assn.

Founder Member of Kozhikode District Volleyball Association, 1966.

Bhaskara Kurup

Indian International Volleyball Player

Indian International Volleyball player from Vatakara

Narayanan Nair Malabar Champion

Player from Vatakara

Malabar Champion Narayanan Nair.In the beginning stages of 20th century, there was a sea-change in the social framework of Kadathanadan (Vatakara) Society. When we go back to the history of Kadathanadan Volleyball , we can trace many of them who had established a place of their own in the history of Volleyball like Malabar Champion Narayanan Nair, Pothrancheri Gopalan Nambiar, K.Abdurahiman, Thikkode Raghavan Vaidyar, Kalathil Mukundan, Palora Nanu, Iringal Pappan, V.K.Damodaran Nambiar and T.P.Bhaskara Kurup. The formation of the Malabar Gymkhana Club in the late 1940's was a turning point in the history of Indian Volleyball. The galaxy of legendary players under the leadership of Narayanan Nair created a flutter throughout India. Malabar Gymkhana became the champions in the Provincial Olympics of 1950 held in Madras YMCA. The role of Mr. Narayanan Nair in popularising Volleyball in the soil of Kadathanad ( Vatakara) was unequaled by any. He was born in 1923 at Vatakara. It was said of him that even before his 24th birthday Narayanan Nair accumulated 240 gold cups as a player. In his later year he took to' sanyasam' and led his life in complete renunciation. He was a clerk in Vatakara Taluk Office in the beginning and then switched over to many jobs as soldier, teacher, postmaster , welfare officer, educational officer and Panchayat inspector. He was also a social activist.His life came to an end in 1994.

Chandran Master

National Volleyball Player & Coach

Payimbra Raman

Player

Gopinathan.

Secretary, Delhi State & Calicut University Player

Sajeevan Master

KDVA first Secretary

Sally Joseph

Indian International Volleyball Player & Arjuna Aw

Indian International Volleyball Player Arjuna Award Winner

P.V.AbdullaKoya

KDVA First President

Achutha Kurup

Indian International Volleyball Player

B.Sivanthi Adithyan.

Former President, VFI

Former President Indian Olympic Association, Chairman Olympic Council of Asia, Director Board of Administration Asian Volleyball Federation, Member Board of Administration International Volleyball Federation and President Volleyball Federation of India.