Kho kho has been a part of Pratik Waikar’s life since he was eight years old. The game may have started as fun fun or a welcome distraction from academics during class hours, but over the years it has seen success, propelling the 32-year-old from Pune to captain the Indian men’s team to the inaugural World Cup in Kho Kho.
The tournament, which will be held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium from January 13 to 19, will begin with host India taking on Nepal after Pakistan was omitted from the list of participating countries due to visa issues.
The leadership role highlights Waikar’s status as one of the best kho kho players in the country. Apart from being part of the national team since 2016 when they won gold at the South Asian Games, he has also featured for the Telugu Yoddhas team in Ultimate Kho Kho.
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“I expected to be captain, but leading the country in the World Cup comes with a lot of responsibility. I hope I can live up to expectations. I would like the entire team to play with discipline and focus and win the tournament,” Waikar said after announcing India’s men’s and women’s squads on Thursday. “This is a huge opportunity for all players. We now hope that kho kho will become a global sport and gain great recognition.”
Although Waikar felt an almost immediate connection to this indigenous sport at school, the decision to become a professional kho kho player was not an easy one. From a lack of exciting opportunities to financial uncertainty, the Maharashtra native had a lot to consider.
“Before, there was no financial support in Kho Kho. People would say this is not a professional game. In terms of jobs and prize money, other sports were far behind. So there was resistance,” he explained. “My goal then was just to represent my state and see how things went. But interest continued to grow. I was also successful, so I continued. As soon as I turned 18, I got a job with the Maharashtra State Electricity Board. So my parents were happy and never stopped me from playing kho kho after that.”
The women’s team 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.
India squads:
Men: Pratik Waikar (captain), Prabani Sabar, Mehul, Sachin Bhargo, Suyash Gargate, Ramji Kashyap, Siva Pothir Reddy, Aditya Ganpule, Gowtham MK, Nikhil B, Akash Kumar, Subramani V., Suman Barman, Aniket Pote, S. Rokeson Singh.
Women: Priyanka Ingle (captain), Ashwini Shinde, Reshma Rathore, Bhilar Devjibhai, Nirmala Bhati, Neeta Devi, Chaithra R., Subhashree Singh, Magai Majhi, Anshu Kumari, Vaishnavi Bajrang, Nasreen Shaikh, Meenu, Monika, Nazia Bibi.
