Senior dignitaries unveiling the intent to make basketball big in India.
Bengaluru: In a defining moment for Indian sports, the Ulhas YuviPep Basketball Academy (UYBA) and its athlete development app were officially launched in Bengaluru on Tuesday, setting in motion a bold new chapter for grassroots basketball in India.
The landmark event was inaugurated by Dr. K. Govindraj, President of FIBA Asia and Karnataka Olympic Association, and attended by dignitaries from the sports, education and industry sectors, including officials from the Karnataka State Basketball Association.
Founded by Ulhas KS — India’s first professional basketball player in Europe and former UK university team captain — UYBA is built on a clear mission: to raise India’s school-level basketball to global standards.
The academy combines EuroLeague and NBA-style coaching, sports science-based training, and international exposure with long-term athlete development systems aimed at building world-class players from a young age.
“India has the talent. What we lack is structured opportunity. UYBA is my response to that gap. We’re not building hype, we’re building athletes,” said Ulhas KS, addressing the gathering.
A game plan for global success
With its headquarters in Bengaluru and training hubs already active at BS International School, Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir, and BGS International Residential School, UYBA is creating elite centres of basketball excellence.
These are not just training venues, but ecosystems that integrate position-specific coaching, mental conditioning, and recovery science — supported by Arunalaya Physiotherapy as the official recovery partner.
The academy’s long-term goal is to have Indian players compete at the 2036 Olympic Games, and it’s not just a pipe dream. UYBA has announced strategic international collaborations with Spire Academy and Stockton University in the United States and Milan Gurović Academy in Serbia — a powerful move that opens scholarship, exposure, and international competition opportunities for Indian student-athletes.
Backed by YuviPep’s vision
UYBA is co-founded and supported by YuviPep Education Pvt. Ltd., a future-ready education company that has already impacted over 100,000 student innovators across 100-plus schools through innovation and entrepreneurship programs.
“It’s time we take structured sports development as seriously as academics,” said YuviPep CEO Ajith Kumar NS.
“UYBA is our way of preparing students for a world stage, both on and off the court,” he added.
Dr. Govindraj applauded the initiative and confirmed plans for collaboration between the Karnataka State Basketball Association and UYBA to establish international-standard training centers across India.
“Grassroots development is the key to global competitiveness in sport. With UYBA, we are taking a giant step forward in making India a basketball powerhouse,” he said.
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