The Basketball Federation of India (BFI) revealed on Saturday that the nation’s top 20 category-A male and female basketball players will receive a monthly stipend of INR 75,000. This decision was made following a steering committee meeting held in New Delhi.
Investment in payer development
“As President of the Basketball Federation of India, I’m thrilled to introduce new initiatives aimed at uplifting our players and strengthening the sport,” stated BFI President Aadhav Arjuna. “Starting this Diwali 2024, the top 20 Category ‘A’ Basketball Players, both men and women, will benefit from a monthly remuneration of INR 75,000.” He emphasised that this substantial investment of INR 3.6 crore annually reflects the federation’s commitment to empowering players and enhancing the standards of Indian basketball.
Players who will be getting the stipend
Current Category-A players
Men: Aravind Annadurai, Vishesh Bhriguvanshi, Amritpal Singh, Amjyot Singh, Palpreet Singh, Muin Bek, M. Arvind Kumar, Sahaij Pratap Singh Sekhon, Principal Singh, Pranav Prince, Prashant Singh Rawat, P. Baladaneshwar, Harsh Dagar, Kushal Singh, Amarendra Nayak, Kanwar Gurbaz Singh, Vaisakh K Manoj, Piyush Meena, Pratyanshu Tomar, M. Lokeshwaran.
Women: Aneesha Cleetus, K. B. Harshitha, Pushpa Senthil Kumar, T. Darshini, Poonam Chaturvedi, M. Nishanthi, Nima Doma, Kavitha Jose, Sreekala Rani, Vaishnavi Yadav, Sanjana Ramesh, Kavya Singla, Manmeet Kaur, Anumaria, R. Sruthy, K. Sathya, Siya Deodhar, Rashi Kothani, Susan Florentina, Ishika Choudhary.
Performance reviews and future plans
Additionally, the Selection Committee, in consultation with India’s head coach appointed by BFI, will assess and review players’ performances in upcoming national competitions. Based on these evaluations, players may be either promoted to a higher category or demoted to categories B or C. The BFI also announced plans to structure a new league, which aims to provide Indian players with opportunities to excel and gain more recognition.
About Basketball Federation of India
The Basketball Federation of India (BFI) serves as the governing body for basketball in the country, playing a crucial role in the sport’s development and promotion from grassroots to international levels. Established in 1950 and headquartered in New Delhi, the BFI is led by President Aadhav Arjuna.
The federation is actively involved in organising national championships for both men and women across various age groups, preparing and dispatching Indian teams for international competitions, and developing grassroots basketball programmes to nurture young talent. Additionally, the BFI promotes the sport through various initiatives and is a proud member of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).