6 days ago
Saqlain Tariq: The setter with a volleyball legacy
New Delhi: When coach Dragan Mihailovic named the Indian volleyball players who've made a real impact, one of the first names he mentioned was Saqlain Tariq. The 27-year-old setter from Poonch, Jammu & Kashmir, has carved a path few from the Valley have dared to tread. For him, volleyball isn't just a sport, it's what he was destined to do. Saqlain Tariq, the setter from J&K, will lead Delhi Toofans in the Prime Volleyball League this year. (PVL)
Born into a family of national-level players — his father Mohammad Tariq and brother Ramiz Tariq — the 6'3' Saqlain's journey began early. He first picked up the sport as a sixth grader and by the time he was in eighth, he had moved to the Punjab Sports Hostel to chase bigger dreams. At just 17, he became the first player from the Valley to don the India jersey, debuting at the 10th Asian Youth Volleyball Championship in Colombo in 2014.
More than a decade later, the glow of that first international outing hasn't faded. Yet, it's the friendly matches back home at the Manjeet Singh Volleyball Club, or the daily training sessions with 50-60 young hopefuls, that bring him the most joy.
Even as Indian volleyball battles infrastructural and administrative hurdles, Saqlain remains optimistic. He sees the Prime Volleyball League (PVL)— now heading into its fourth season — as extremely vital for the sport in India.
'The league matters a lot for youngsters,' he told Hindustan Times. 'You get to learn from foreign players and evolve faster. And with a steady platform, we finally have a source of income to invest in our fitness and diet.'
Despite years of living away from home, Saqlain makes it a point to return to his roots. Every evening at 5 pm, he joins the young players in ground practice at the Shaheed Manjit Singh Volleyball Club, just as he once did years ago.
'The kids light up when I join them. It makes me happy too,' he says. 'I believe showing up where I started, sticking to the same discipline, inspires them. At the very least, it keeps them away from the filth of the world.'
When he started out, opportunities for competitive exposure were rare. But the PVL is changing that. 'The league has helped us improve in international events. The World Championship, climbing the world rankings — these are crucial goals. And with more exposure, we're on the right track.'
As captain of Delhi Toofans this season, Saqlain values the off-court connections just as much as the on-court drills.
'We talk, we meet, we eat meals together, talk about things beyond sport. The more you connect off the field, the better your reflexes and chemistry are on it,' he says. 'That's when the court truly feels like your zone, when you feel at home with your team.'
Even as he thinks about what he would like to do when he steps away as a player in the future, Saqlain will return to the same ground and show the path to those who need it.
