A LEAGUE OF HIS OWN

Renowned industrialist, avid philanthropist and sports entrepreneur Pawan Kumar Patodia is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that his city is as crazed over volleyball as it is over soccer. The co-owner of Kolkata Thunderbolts team shares how he is relentlessly promoting volleyball in the north east.

- Ritusmita Biswas

Work like you will live forever and live like you will die tomorrow” is a life mandate for Pawan Kumar Patodia, CMD and CEO of Pulkit Veneer Mills Private Limited, and Chairman and co-owner of Kolkata Thunderbolts, the champions at Prime Volleyball League 2022 recently concluded at Hyderabad. For him, hardwork has no substitute and it far surpasses the potential of talent. And it is this belief that led the young boy from Dibrugarh to be not only among the top industrialists in Kolkata but also one of the most well-known faces in the city.

Tapping unexplored territories

A successful chartered accountant by profession, Pawan Kumar Patodia’s passion for sports was always deep within. So when he decided to own a sports team, it was a business decision fuelled by an inherent passion for sports that he always had. “Kolkata Thunderbolts was initially the product of my business endeavours, and the constant urge to expand my verticals. I used to play volleyball during my childhood, but lost touch over time due to the professional and business commitment. This franchise came across as a medium to revive that feeling,” affirms Patodia. “I have always been passionate about sports as I feel that sport has this rare ability of bridging gaps and bringing people together. Kolkata Thunderbolts is a step in that direction—to make a difference in the Indian sport ecosystem. It may seem like an overnight decision, but a lot of planning and measure went into owning a sports franchise, as it was always on our cards.”