Pratik Waikar.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Kho kho has been a part of Pratik Waikar’s life since the age of eight. The game might have begun as a fun activity or a welcome distraction from academics during his school hours, but succeeding in it as the years passed has propelled the 32-year-old from Pune to becoming the captain of the Indian men’s team for the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup.
The tournament, which will be held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium from January 13 to 19, kicks off with host India taking on Nepal after Pakistan was omitted from the list of participating nations due to visa issues.
The leadership role underlines Waikar’s status as one of the best kho kho players in the country. Besides being part of the national team since 2016, when it won gold in the South Asian Games, he has starred for Telugu Yoddhas in Ultimate Kho Kho.
“I was expecting to be named captain, but it is a very big responsibility to lead the country in the World Cup. I hope to live up to the expectations. I would want the entire team to play with discipline and focus and win the tournament,” Waikar told The Hindu after India’s men’s and women’s squads were announced on Thursday. “This is a huge opportunity for all the players. The hope now is for kho kho to become a global sport and get a lot of recognition.”
While Waikar sensed an almost instant connection with this indigenous sport in school, the decision to become a professional kho kho player wasn’t straightforward. From the lack of exciting opportunities to financial uncertainties, the man from Maharashtra had a lot to weigh up.
“Earlier, there wasn’t financial support in kho kho. People would say this isn’t a professional game. In terms of jobs and prize money, other sports were far ahead. So, there was resistance,” he explained.
“My aim then was to just represent my State and see how things go. But the interest kept increasing. I was also getting success and so I continued. Right after I turned 18, I got a job in the Maharashtra State Electricity Board. So my parents were happy and they never stopped me from playing kho kho after that.”
The women’s team, meanwhile, will be led by Priyanka Ingle. The 24-year-old also hails from Pune. India will also field one additional team each in the men’s and women’s sections.
The squads: Men: Pratik Waikar (capt.), Prabani Sabar, Mehul, Sachin Bhargo, Suyash Gargate, Ramji Kashyap, Siva Pothir Reddy, Aditya Ganpule, Gowtham M.K., Nikhil B, Akash Kumar, Subramani V., Suman Barman, Aniket Pote, S. Rokeson Singh.
Women: Priyanka Ingle (capt.), Ashwini Shinde, Reshma Rathore, Bhilar Devjibhai, Nirmala Bhati, Neeta Devi, Chaithra R., Subhashree Sing, Magai Majhi, Anshu Kumari, Vaishnavi Bajrang, Nasreen Shaikh, Meenu, Monika, Nazia Bibi.
Published – January 09, 2025 07:32 pm IST
