Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

Wrestle for sponsors

G. Prasad

The Indian junior kabaddi team won the gold at the Asian Junior Championships in Tehran

S. Rajaguru. — Photo: R.M. Rajarathinam.

TIRUCHI: Kabaddi is very much an Indian sport and its popularity in the rural parts of the country rivals that of cricket. But, when it comes to attracting sponsorships from the corporate sector Kabaddi is nowhere in the picture and its players even, after putting up a good show at the international level, find themselves lost in the crowd.

In recent times it is not just our cricketers who have done well but also members of the Indian junior kabaddi team. The latter have made the country proud with a gold medal-winning performance at the Asian Junior Championships held in Tehran.

Star player

S. Rajaguru from Vaduvur, a village in Thanjavur district, was a member of the winning team. Just like any other youngster in the village, he started playing the game at the school level. It was his physical training teacher, Sekar, who took note of the young talent and encouraged him to take up the sport seriously.

A series of good performances at the Junior Nationals and Rural Nationals earned him a place at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) hostel in Chennai. "That's where I started learning the game in a professional manner and the sports hostel played a huge role in my success," says Rajaguru, who was honoured by the Tiruchi District Amateur Kabaddi Association during the district championship here last week. He was also quick to mention the support and encouragement received by the State Kabaddi Association Secretary, Raja Rajendran.

Changing trend

Rajaguru, who has specialised in defending, feels the game has changed a lot in recent times. "Kabaddi is no more played on muddy ground at the international level, instead it is played on a mat as it reduces the chance of injury. It is important that we accustom ourselves to the changing trends," he says. He can consider himself lucky, for he practices the game on the mat at the SAI hostel. The 19-year-old feels that the game should be played with this facility even at the district level, as there is a chance to loose one's grip while playing on the mat if one has not practiced on it. The youngster says that many countries have started evincing interest in the game and adds that Iran was the toughest team they faced at the Asian Championships. Rajaguru, who is awaiting employment at the South Central Railway, feels that sponsorships from the corporate sector would do a world of good for aspiring youngsters like him to reach greater heights.

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