Mangaluru (The Hindu): Bhandavya H.M. Gowda, captain of the Indian team participating in the Junior Asian Women (Under-18) Basketball Championship in Bangkok, is a student of the Alva’s College in Moodbidri.

A native of Mandya, Bhandavya Gowda is a first year B.Com student. She is among the two basketball players from the State who are part of the national team for the Junior Asian Women Basketball Championship in Bangkok between November 13 and 20. She is one among the many students with exceptional talent who are being offered free education by Alva’s Education Foundation under its adoption scheme. Bhandavya Gowda joined the college two years ago.

A good three-point shooter and point guard, Bhandavya Gowda was part of the national team in the 2013 Asian Youth Basketball tournament held in Colombo.

She was also in the team that took part in the 2014 Junior Asian Basketball tournament in Jordan. The Junior Asian Championship in Bangkok will be her fourth international tournament.

Naveen Shetty from Mangalore Basketball Club, who has seen Bhandavya Gowda play at close quarters, said that she has been in basketball since she was 12. A product of Sports School in Mandya, Bhandavya Gowda was groomed by Raviprakash, a former coach in the Department of Youth Services and Sports. It was a pride that a player from the State was captaining the national team, Mr. Naveen Shetty said.

Chairman of Alva’s Education Foundation Mohan Alva has wished Bhandavya Gowda and the national team a success in the upcoming championship.