Hyderabad Black Hawks rebrand as Telugu Black Hawks to expand volleyball footprint

Hyderabad Black Hawks have rebranded as Telugu Black Hawks, aiming to connect with communities across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and the global Telugu diaspora. The franchise also strengthened its squad at the PVL 2026 auction ahead of Season 5

Hyderabad: Hyderabad Black Hawks on Monday announced their evolution into Telugu Black Hawks, marking the next chapter in the franchise’s journey to bring together the people of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh while building a deeper connection with the global Telugu diaspora through volleyball.

As one of the founding franchises of the Prime Volleyball League (PVL), the club has always believed that its role extends beyond the professional team.

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From the beginning, the Black Hawks’ vision has been to grow volleyball across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and create opportunities for young players to engage with the sport. Over the past four years, the franchise has taken its initiatives across both states.

The franchise has collaborated with the Isha Foundation on volleyball initiatives across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, organised the Vijay Deverakonda Black Hawks Open across districts in both states, and conducted numerous volleyball clinics, open trials and pre-season camps across the region.

These experiences reinforced a belief that has been part of the franchise’s vision from the beginning. While Hyderabad is its home, the Black Hawks community extends far beyond the boundaries of one city.

New identity to connect with Telugu community worldwide

The evolution into Telugu Black Hawks reflects that reality. Hyderabad will continue to remain the club’s home and an integral part of its identity. The new name builds on those roots to embrace people across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, while also creating a connection with the millions who make up the Telugu diaspora across the world.

Speaking on the occasion, Abhishek Reddy Kankanala, Principal Owner of Telugu Black Hawks, said:

“Four years ago, we started with the dream of building a professional volleyball team. Today, that dream has evolved into something much bigger. Our vision has never been limited to winning matches.

“Over the last four years, we have taken volleyball into communities across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh through tournaments, clinics, trials, camps and grassroots programmes. The more we worked across both states, the clearer it became that the Black Hawks belonged to a much larger community.

“Hyderabad will always be where our journey began and will remain at the heart of who we are. This evolution is not about moving away from Hyderabad. It is about widening the circle.

“Telugu Black Hawks belongs to everyone who has been part of the Black Hawks journey, while creating a team that people across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and the Telugu diaspora around the world can proudly call their own.”

Focus on grassroots development

Looking ahead, Telugu Black Hawks intends to deepen its commitment through grassroots development, academies, school programmes, coaching, talent identification and competitive opportunities that create a pathway from discovering volleyball to playing the sport at the highest level.

As Telugu Black Hawks begins this new chapter, the ambition remains the same — to compete for championships while building a volleyball movement that brings together communities at home and around the world.

Telugu Black Hawks strengthen squad ahead of PVL Season 5

Telugu Black Hawks strengthened their squad at the PVL 2026 Player Auction. The franchise has assembled a strong squad for Season 5, which will be held in Ahmedabad this year.

At the auction held in Goa on Monday, Black Hawks bought Tanish Choudhary for ₹14 lakh, Vinit Kumar for ₹8 lakh, Mouhsin PA for ₹5 lakh, and Hari Prasad B S and Deepak for ₹3 lakh each. They also exercised their Right to Match option to retain Niyas Abdul Salam for ₹4 lakh.

Telugu Black Hawks squad: Tanish Choudhary (₹14 lakh), Vinit Kumar (₹8 lakh), Mouhsin PA (₹5 lakh), Niyas Abdul Salam (₹4 lakh), Hari Prasad B S (₹3 lakh), Deepak (₹3 lakh), Warangal player Mettu Siril Reddy (₹1 lakh), Namith MN (₹1 lakh), Shikhar Singh, John Joseph, Deepu Venugopal and Preet Karan.