Nivia

Nivia is an Indian sports goods company founded in Sialkot in 1934 and based in Jalandhar, Punjab. It makes sports balls, footwear, sportswear and accessories.

What is Nivia?

Nivia is an Indian sports goods maker. It was founded in 1934 in Sialkot by Nihal Chand Kharabanda and registered as Freewill Sports Pvt Ltd. After partition the company moved to Mumbai, then to Meerut, and settled in Jalandhar, Punjab, in 1950.

Products and positioning

The core range is sports balls for football, basketball, volleyball, handball and cricket. Nivia also sells footwear, sportswear and jerseys, bags, and accessories such as goalkeeper gloves, shin guards and swimming gear.

Ownership

The company is private and family-led. Vijay Kharabanda (1940 to 2017) is listed as former chairman and managing director, and Rajesh Kharabanda as managing director. The source reviewed does not name an owner, and the current leadership could not be verified for 2026.

Business model and distribution

Nivia first exported balls to Indonesia in the 1950s and is described as serving customers worldwide. It has sponsorship deals with leagues and clubs in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan. The sources reviewed do not describe its split between wholesale, own retail and online channels.

Why it matters

Nivia is one of the long-established Indian sports goods companies, with a history that stretches back to pre-partition Sialkot, a historic centre of sports goods manufacturing. Several claims in its Wikipedia entry are uncited, so the details here are limited to the better-supported facts.

Frequently asked questions

Who owns Nivia?

Nivia is a private company led by members of the Kharabanda family. The source reviewed does not name a specific owner.

Where is Nivia from?

Nivia is from India. It was founded in Sialkot in 1934 and has been based in Jalandhar, Punjab, since 1950.

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