Jayshree Periwal, CHIREC, Gaudim, GEMS, Anand Niketan steal the ISSO volleyball show

CHIREC International School (Hyderabad), Jayshree Periwal International School (Jaipur), The Gaudium School, GEMS Genesis International School (Ahmedabad), Anand Niketan International School (Ahmedabad) stole the thunder at the National Volleyball Championship 2026 at CHIREC International School, Hyderabad.

The championship was conducted by the International Schools Sports Organisation (ISSO). The four-day championship brought together over 45 teams from international schools across India, competing across six categories — Under-14, Under-17 and Under-19 across Boys and Girls, highlighting the growing popularity of volleyball and the rising standards of competitive school sports in India.

The championship witnessed spirited performances, closely contested matches and remarkable teamwork, reflecting the increasing commitment of schools towards developing competitive sporting programmes.

In the Under-14 girls’ category, GEMS Genesis International School, Ahmedabad, emerged as champions, followed by The Gaudium School as runners-up and Manthan International School in third place. In the Under-14 boys’ category, Anand Niketan International School, Ahmedabad, secured the championship title, with Cedar Valley International School, Khammam, finishing second and Sreenidhi International School, Hyderabad, taking third place. In the Under-17 Girls category, Jayshree Periwal International School, Jaipur, claimed the title, followed by GEMS Genesis International School, Ahmedabad, and CHIREC International School, Hyderabad.

The Under-17 boys’ championship was won by The Gaudium School, with Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad, finishing as runners-up and GEMS Genesis International School, Ahmedabad, securing third place. In the Under-19 girls’ category, host school CHIREC International School, Hyderabad, emerged as champions, followed by The Gaudium School and Sreenidhi International School, Hyderabad. In the Under-19 boys’ category, Jayshree Periwal International School, Jaipur, secured the championship title, with The International School Bangalore finishing second and CHIREC International School, Hyderabad, taking third place.

Jayshree Periwal secure two titles

Jayshree Periwal International School, Jaipur, emerged as one of the leading performers, securing two national championship titles in the Under-17 Girls and Under-19 Boys categories. Ahmedabad schools also delivered impressive performances, with GEMS Genesis International School claiming the Under-14 Girls championship and Anand Niketan International School winning the Under-14 Boys title.

Hyderabad schools demonstrated strong competitive depth, with CHIREC International School securing the Under-19 Girls championship and The Gaudium School emerging victorious in the Under-17 Boys category. Sreenidhi International School and Aga Khan Academy also secured podium finishes. Cedar Valley International School from Khammam finished runners-up in the Under-14 Boys category, reflecting the growing reach of competitive volleyball beyond major metropolitan cities.

The Most Promising Player awards recognised outstanding individual performances across all six categories. Raghavi of GEMS Genesis International School received the award in the Under-14 Girls category, while Dhruva of Sreenidhi International School was recognised in the Under-14 Boys category. In the Under-17 categories, Arunima of Jayshree Periwal International School received the award in the Girls category, and Abhiram of The Gaudium School was recognised in the Boys category. Aadya Varma Koneti of CHIREC International School received the Under-19 Girls award, while Kavesh Goyal of Jayshree Periwal International School was named Most Promising Player in the Under-19 Boys category.

Speaking on the championship, Aakanksha Thapak, Director, ISSO, said: “The participation of over 45 teams reflects the growing enthusiasm for volleyball among international schools in India. It is encouraging to see schools investing in team sports and young athletes displaying such strong competitive spirit. At ISSO, our focus remains on building quality competitions and creating meaningful pathways for student-athletes. We thank CHIREC International School for providing its beautiful sporting infrastructure for this national championship.”

The championship further reinforced ISSO’s commitment to building a structured and competitive school sports ecosystem. Through its expanding national calendar, ISSO continues to create opportunities for student-athletes to compete at higher levels, with progression pathways towards national and international school sporting platforms, including the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) and the International School Sport Federation (ISF).

The successful conclusion of the volleyball championship in Hyderabad marks another significant event in ISSO’s 2026–27 national sporting calendar, bringing together schools, athletes and educators through a shared commitment to sporting excellence.