Bhubaneswar: Odisha's Suprijit Behera has retained his place in the national squad for the Asian U-21 Men's Handball Championship which will be held in Chuzhou, China, from July 13 to 26. The 18-member Indian team has been announced for the prestigious tournament.

The selection trials for the championship were conducted in Lucknow on May 11 and 12, where 30 players were shortlisted for the national coaching camp. The final national coaching camp was held at the JRD Tata Sports Complex, Jamshedpur, from July 3 to 12.

Odisha's first international handball coach, Gouri Shankar Mishra, played a key role in the coaching camp and the team's preparations, Gouri will accompany the team as coach.

It may be recalled that in 2024, Odisha's star player and the state's first international handball player, Aryan Brahmin, created history by earning a place in the Indian team, bringing pride and glory to the state.

The selection of Suprijit Behera in the Indian team and the contribution of Gouri Shankar Mishra have been widely appreciated. Odisha's former handball player Pranaya Kumar Pani, Odisha Handball Association President Biplab Choudhury, Secretary Er. Manas Kumar Singh, Treasurer Shitendra Nath Das, and Bhubaneswar Handball Association Secretary Prashanta Kumar Nayak have congratulated both Gouri Shankar and Suprijit on their achievement and wished them success in the championship.

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Handball coach, Gouri Shankar Mishra