GE Sridharan: 20 Years of Setting Goals in Indian Volleyball
From Volleyball Player to Coach
India’s former volleyball player GE Sridharan had captivated the country’s national team when he won a bronze medal at the first Commonwealth Volleyball Championship in the United Kingdom in 1981.
His journey into volleyball began during his school years. The Arjuna awardee was initially unable to meet the height criteria for the sport, but his father, a military man, encouraged him to continue playing. His career eventually saw him represent India at several major international championships.
From 1977 to 1991, Sridharan played around 200 international matches. He represented India at the 8th, 9th and 10th Asian Games held in Bangkok, New Delhi and Seoul respectively.
A Successful International Playing Career
Sridharan was part of the Indian volleyball team that won a bronze medal at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul. He also represented India at the Senior Asian Volleyball Championship held at Bahrain in 1979, Kuwait in 1987 and Seoul in 1989.
At the International Volleyball Championship held at Nagoya, Japan, in 1989, the Indian team secured a silver medal.
His playing career later opened the door to coaching. After being overlooked for the national team, he was inducted into the team as a coach after demonstrating his capabilities and commitment to the sport
Beginning His Coaching Journey
In 1999, Sridharan started his coaching career after passing through the National Institute for Sports, Bangalore. He also became a certified international coach and reached the number one position in Asia.
As head coach of the Indian Youth Volleyball team for the IVth Asian Youth Volleyball Championship, India won gold at Visakhapatnam in 2003 and qualified for the World Youth Volleyball Championship.
He was also the head coach when the Indian senior volleyball team entered the semi-final of the Asian Senior Volleyball Championship and secured fourth position in 2005.
Leading Indian Teams at Major Events
Sridharan later became head coach of the senior Indian volleyball team for the Asian Games held at Guangzhou, China, in 2010. The Indian team secured sixth position.
He also coached the Indian youth volleyball team that won silver at the World Youth Volleyball Championship held at Suphanburi, Thailand.
His coaching career has included several major achievements, including leading Indian teams at international competitions and helping develop players for higher levels of the sport.
Technical Skills Over Height
Sridharan believes height is important for certain positions in volleyball, but technical and tactical skills remain equally important.
Though the average height for a professional male volleyball player entering the Indian camp is around 6 feet 5 inches, he believes exceptional players who may fall slightly short of the height criteria can still succeed through their skills.
According to him, agility, speed, technical ability and tactical skills are among the qualities that make volleyball players successful.
Building the Future of Indian Volleyball
In 2022, the Asian Volleyball Confederation named Sridharan as an expert for the Euro Asia Coaches Coordination Project.
The veteran coach believes Indian volleyball players need more international exposure. He has stressed the importance of playing around 45 to 52 matches at international level against countries such as Japan, China, Korea and Iran.
He also believes India has enormous potential, with almost 6,000 villages where volleyball talent can be identified and developed.
Preparing for the Future
Sridharan wants Indian volleyball to focus on long-term development, with the goal of preparing a stronger team for the 2028 Olympics.
He has also emphasised the importance of encouraging children to take up the sport from a young age. According to him, children should be introduced to sports early, while parents should support them in their sporting journey.
After decades as a player, coach and mentor, GE Sridharan continues to contribute to Indian volleyball by developing players, promoting technical excellence and working towards a stronger future for the sport.
