Lausanne, Switzerland, March 10, 2026: Abhijit Bhattacharya, a former captain of the Indian men’s national volleyball team, has been named the Global Winner of the 2025 IOC Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) Champions Award.
Bhattacharya won the award for his impactful grassroots initiatives in rural India, ensuring equal access and visibility for girls and boys in sport.
Following his professional career, Bhattacharya set out on a new challenge: bringing volleyball to his home state Assam to promote gender equality and change lives.
He leads a network of more than 300 grassroots coaches and over 2,000 community volunteers, and has partnered with UNICEF to deliver sports-based programmes addressing adolescent leadership, gender equality, girls’ education and broader social development outcomes in rural communities.
Meanwhile, Kim Yeon Koung, a former captain of the Korean women’s national volleyball team, won the award for Asia for her significant contribution to expanding access to sports for girls and young women by addressing economic and structural barriers that limit sustained participation.