Paving the way forward by staying true to the past

Bengaluru, DHNS: There are few tales as captivating as the revitalisation and resurgence of a traditional sport and its practitioners, embedded in the fabric of India’s rich history, getting a second wind due to the rise of sports leagues.

Take the stories of Karnataka duo Gowtham MK and Prajwal KH, who have been thrust into the limelight following their displays in Ultimate Kho Kho for Odisha Juggernauts and Rajasthan Warriors respectively.

Gowtham, the son of an autorickshaw driver, remains eternally grateful to those who prodded him to take the sport as a career, while Prajwal, who works as a Solutions Architect at Accenture, is delighted to have found a platform to pursue his life-long passion.

Incidentally, both Prajwal and Gowtham represent Bengaluru-based Young Pioneer Sports Club. The club, which was founded in 1979, has produced four players for the league’s six teams.

Beset by player unavailability, Rajasthan Warriors finished the league stages bottom of the table, while Odisha Juggernauts lost to Gujarat Giants in a thrilling semifinal on Thursday, despite Gowtham notching up a six-point effort.

“I attended Lakshmi Devi Ramanna School, and my friends introduced me to kho kho after they saw my sprint speed. I attended trials and trained regularly. My PT teacher Mahadesh convinced my initially skeptical parents to make me pursue this avenue and assured me of a good future,” Gowtham told DH.

“I got selected for the state team in seventh standard and was hoping for a national call-up after playing sub-junior nationals, but I fractured my leg and could not play for close to a year,” Gowtham recalled.

“I stayed determined and made a strong comeback. I joined Young Pioneers club and played the junior nationals. I was fast-tracked into the senior state team. Soon after, there was a Test series for India and I got selected in early 2018, and recently, represented India in the Asian Championships,” Gowtham added on his career trajectory.

"For us players, the amount is secondary, but the recognition is everything at this stage of our lives. I am currently working at India Post for the last six months. The sport has given me everything I need, so taking it to the next level and serving as an inspiration for the next generation is my biggest goal,” Gowtham ended the call with a hint of emotion in his voice.

For 27-year-old all-rounder Prajwal, the league has served as a platform for continuing his passion. Prajwal works hard to balance both sporting and corporate worlds. “Mornings I practice, then join work. Again, in the evening I practice and then extend work till late at night. It’s not easy, but somehow, I am managing,” Prajwal said.

“My coach Vinay began teaching us kho kho after taking us on runs in Tumakuru. We got exposed to playing with our seniors, who were members of the state team, at the club level.

“From there, I began playing the Sub-junior and Junior nationals. I broke into the senior Karnataka team just after finishing high school and got an engineering seat at MS Ramaiah through the sports quota,” Prajwal recounted.

“After shifting to Bengaluru to pursue my studies, I joined Young Pioneer and I restarted playing kho kho as a passion,” Prajwal added.

Prajwal (second from right) tries to tag a player during an Ultimate Kho Kho league match