Soligas of BR Hills: How volleyball is helping the Soliga youth fight alcohol addiction

Many youngsters among the Soliga, an indigenous tribe of Karnataka inhabiting BR Hills of Chamarajnagar district were addicted to alcohol and smoking.

Thanks to the Institute of Public Health (IPH), a research institute working for the upliftment of Soligas in BR Hills, the youths are now slowly taking to the sport of volleyball, helping them give up their addiction.

The institute is using sports as an intervention therapy to maintain the mental health of not just young boys in the community but also women and elderly men. Several sports like carrom, chess and frisbee are being introduced in the tribal hamlets.

Some like Shekar and Krishna from these tribal hamlets have taken it up as a challenge, and are working hard to ensure their community is free of alcohol and smoking addiction.