From bamboo tripods to Bangkok: How Satyajit Bora took Assam’s volleyball dream global

Sarjan, a small village near Narayanpur in Assam’s Lakhimpur district, is not the kind of place one expects to find stories of international sporting breakthroughs. 
Yet from its dusty volleyball courts has emerged a journey that now shines under the bright lights of Bangkok. 

At the heart of it is 27-year-old Satyajit Bora, the Brahmaputra Volleyball League’s (BVL) first grassroots broadcaster, who has been invited by the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) to witness world-class broadcasting at the ongoing FIVB Women’s World Volleyball Championship in Thailand.

For Satyajit, the trip is more than a professional opportunity—it is proof that the spirit of innovation and community can carry dreams from the banks of the Brahmaputra to the world stage.

Satyajit’s broadcast journey began in 2021, almost by accident. “One day my brother Amrit Barhoi, who is also a coach at the Bapuji Volleyball Coaching Centre, called me to attend a meeting. It was the first time I saw former India volleyball captain Abhijit Bhattacharya sir. He said, ‘From this season we are going to do live broadcast of our matches, Amitabh da will explain.’”

That meeting introduced Satyajit to Amitabh Atreya, the man who dreamed of giving every village game an audience. With no blueprint to follow, the BVL family experimented. A dry run was suggested to figure out camera height and positioning. Satyajit went back to the ground, found an old referee stand, dragged it aside, and used it to record. When he sent the video, Amitabh was delighted. “He called me and asked for the measurements. I checked and told him—21 feet from the attack line, with a height of 11–12 feet. That solved one problem, but the bigger challenge was the tripod.”

The solution came in the form of a bamboo tripod crafted by BVL’s Under-21 player, Krishna Dutta. It was light, sturdy, and most importantly, affordable—something that could be replicated in villages across Assam. With training from SportVot on streaming and scoring, Satyajit became BVL’s first grassroots broadcaster. The date of his first live-streamed match—October 31, 2021—remains etched in his memory.

Since then, Satyajit has faced challenges from patchy internet connections to unexpected technical failures. Black screens during streaming became a recurring issue. His workaround? “I used to lower the resolution from 480p to 360p or even 240p. It always worked.”

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Yet, for him, no world-class arena can match the atmosphere of BVL. “In Assam, volleyball is not just a game—it’s a festival. Children as young as 10 set up nets on paddy fields, parents bring tea and snacks, elders cheer from the sidelines. The entire village breathes volleyball. That community spirit is what I’d love people here in Bangkok to experience."

Satyajit credits his growth to his mentors. “My second guardian, my boss, my doctor, my psychologist—Amitabh Sir—figured out how to stream games with just a phone. Abhijit Sir, Jayanta Sharma Sir, and the entire BVL family have stood by me. Without them, this journey would never have been possible.”

He also acknowledges the support of the Volleyball Foundation, Volleyball World, and SportVot, which recognized the grassroots effort and provided the necessary platform.

Today, as he watches the grandeur of FIVB matches in Bangkok—with music, cheer squads, and dazzling presentations—Satyajit dreams of borrowing that style for BVL. “I think I will bring back Bangkok’s colorful match presentation style so that our village games feel like mini world championships.”

For him, there is no difference between big towns and small villages. “If anyone has the patience to learn, the passion to grow, and the support of their community, they can achieve anything.”

Satyajit’s journey is a testament to the BVL movement, which turned simple village courts into breeding grounds for not just players but broadcasters, coaches, and community leaders. Standing firmly behind it all is the belief that “every game deserves an audience.”

For the young man from Sarjan village, Bangkok is not the final destination. It is a milestone—a reminder that the dreams born in Assam’s riverine villages can travel far, and that with bamboo tripods and community spirit, even the humblest efforts can hit the global stage.