Samant’s visit forces SPPU to grant permission for roll ball after 10 years

After several students met the state technical and higher education minister Uday Samant regarding allowing the roll ball game officially in the sports syllabus, the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) gave a nod on Thursday.

“For years we were fighting to get permission from the SPPU sports department to include the roll ball game officially in the sports syllabus. Despite repeated attempts, applications and follow-up it didn’t happen but today after meeting Samant sir and telling them the importance of this game like its invention in Pune and the international recognition, we got the permission letter from SPPU immediately,” said Gajanan Tharkude, Pune district president of roll ball federation.

A team of roll ball players along with Dhurkude and Raju Dabhade, the inventor and founder of this game met Uday Samant during the programme. They explained to Samant the importance of this game and the inclusion in the syllabus.

“They have given a chance to thousands of students who are playing this game on state, national and international level. From 2011, we were trying to get a sanction from the SPPU sports department for this game, but nothing happened. We have a sanction from the state sports department, Central government and even from the Olympics game official department. But we only didn’t have permission from the SPPU sports department. Because of this many good players from this game were not getting a chance to play ahead at the state or national level just because of this permission issue. At the same time other universities in the state have given permission and are supporting this game fully,” said Dabhade.

Dabhade was earlier working as a sports teacher at Balshikshan Mandir English School in Kothrud. While working as a sports teacher, he invented this game in 2003. It is a mix of speed skating, handball and basketball. Currently, this game is so popular and widely played across more than 50 countries in the world.

Samant said, “We are so happy to resolve such long pending issues which have an impact on the career of thousands of students. At the same time, this game was invented in Pune but didn’t have permission to add to the sports syllabus of SPPU. This issue needed an immediate solution.”