Five players whose lives were transformed by PKL

No one would have thought that a game like Kabaddi would go on to become so popular among Indian fans. It was believed that Kabaddi is a game that is just played in villages, but a dramatic transformation in the sport has brought so much entertainment that even metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru have become die-hard Kabaddi fans.

All thanks to one of the top leagues in India, the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), which has not only changed the game completely but also changed the lives of Kabaddi players. So, today, we'll tell you about five players whose lives have been transformed as a result of their participation in the PKL. Here is the list:

#5 Kashiling Adake

From the fields of Maharashtra to selfies with fans, Kashiling Adake’s life took a dramatic U-turn when he got a chance to play in the PKL in 2014 for Dabang Delhi. Before getting his first break, Kashiling used to work in a sugarcane factory in Maharashtra to ensure his family ate regularly. He came from a wrestling family, but his passion was always Kabaddi, which he used to play in school.

It was a moment when he got a trial with the Sports Authority of India that changed everything. He was not selected during his first trial but was selected the very next year. Kashi built a new house for his family with his first PKL money.

#4 Rishank Devadiga

Rishank Devadiga is another man from Mumbai who had seen financial crisis throughout his life before opting for Kabaddi as his profession. He had to abandon his studies to support his family, even skipping college to pursue a career in Kabaddi. Rishank’s mother played a huge role in making him a successful Kabaddi player as she always used to encourage him to play Kabaddi.

Rishank’s life changed to a greater extent when he joined U Mumba for the first four seasons, where he created headlines. He then moved to UP Yoddha in Season 5 and was retained by them for 1.11 crore in Season 6. He even captained UP Yoddha in the sixth edition of the PKL.

#3 Deepak Niwas Hooda

Deepak Niwas Hooda is another renowned name when it comes to Kabaddi. Born in the Rohtak village of Haryana, he grew up in a poor family but always wanted to do something big for his family. He was a bright student who wanted to be an engineer but couldn’t pursue his dreams because of financial support.

Deepak had to teach in the beginning, alongside taking up Kabaddi as his profession, to fulfil the financial needs of the family. He did so for a while before getting his first major break in 2014 when he won the gold medal in the All India University Tournament of Kabaddi. After all the hard work, he was picked up by the Telugu Titans in the 2014 edition of the PKL, which turned his passion into a profession.

#2 Pawan Sehrawat

This man can never be left out of any list when it comes to Kabaddi. The showstopper of the upcoming PKL season, Pawan Kumar Sehrawat, has been excellent in the last two seasons as he won the best raider award. Before the retention, it was expected that Pawan would be retained by the Bengaluru Bulls, but releasing him was one of the biggest mistakes made by the franchise. Pawan was sold for over 20 million in the PKL auction and is set play for Tamil Thalaivas. His journey from being an ordinary player of a PKL from a millionaire is an inspiring for all. Now, it would be interesting to see how Pawan will play in this season.

#1 Anup Kumar

The man who made Kabaddi what it is today, Anup Kumar, is a legend of the game who started his Kabaddi career in the year 2000 and soon became an integral part of the Indian team. It was because of Anup Kumar that many legendary players took up Kabaddi as their profession. The Gurgaon-based Kabaddi player was one of the most successful captains in the history of Kabaddi.

Anup is an Arjuna Awardee who helped India win various titles, including the 2010 and 2014 Asian Games. Apart from these two golds, he captained India to the historic 2016 World Cup. Anup’s journey has been really inspiring for every young Kabaddi player. Anup was a part of U Mumba in the first five seasons and even helped them win the title in PKL 2. He has been a complete player of Kabaddi and every Kabaddi player should learn from him.

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