17-yr-old from Gurugram shines in India’s Asian Games kabaddi gold win

Nikita Kumari began playing kabaddi in Class 3 and later captained India’s junior side before earning a place in the senior national team

At just 17, Nikita Kumari made a memorable debut for the Indian senior team, delivering a crucial performance in the final as the India’s women’s kabaddi team defeated Iran to clinch the gold medal on Saturday. She is among the youngest members of the Indian squad to represent the country on the international stage.

Nikita grew up in Haryana and began training at eight, while her three younger sisters also followed her into the sport. (HT)

For Kumari, Kabaddi was never just a sport she discovered later in life. It was part of her upbringing.Kumari started playing Kabaddi at the age of eight.

Her coach, Dr Sunil Dabas, believes that her early entry into the sport helped her build mental toughness that she now displays. “In the villages of Haryana, most children grow up playing kabaddi. Nikita and her three younger sisters have all taken to the sport, and I have watched her journey closely from a young age. I always believed that Nikita had the talent and determination to one day make her country proud.”

Before earning her place in the senior Indian team roster, Kumari had established herself at the junior level. She has represented India in youth competitions and also captained the Indian junior side.

“The transition, however, is never easy. But she is a confident player and mentally tough, which really helps in Kabaddi,” Dabas said.

When India found itself in a difficult situation against Iran, she was brought onto the mat. Rather than allowing the occasion or the pressure to dictate her game, the teenager responded with an attacking performance that gave India the impetus it needed. “For a 17-year-old, it was a performance that went beyond her years. I can see people are praising her on social media. This is just the beginning,” Dabas said.

The significance of Kumari’s contribution, Dabas said, becomes clearer when viewed in the context of the opponent. “When the match becomes tight, Iran starts playing a rough game. That is when mental toughness becomes very important,” she said.

Kumari had to deal with exactly that kind of pressure. “She continued playing despite suffering injury, showing the determination required to remain on the mat,” Dabas said.

Nikita has already represented India in youth competitions and captained the junior team before making her senior debut at the Asian Games. (HT)

Kumari’s mother, Vinod Kumari, said her daughter showed a natural inclination towards kabaddi from a young age. “She started training when she was in Class 3. She took to the sport naturally and gradually, became more serious about it,” she said.

For Vinod Kumari, seeing her daughter represent India on the international stage is a moment of immense pride. “It feels wonderful when people come to us and talk about Nikita’s performance. She has not only made our family proud, but has brought pride to Haryana and the country as well by representing India on the global stage,” she told HT.

“I will always support my Gudiya (Nikita’s nickname). When she comes back, we are planning a grand welcome for her. It has not been easy for us. We are from a village, while she has to stay in Gurugram for her studies and training. She has worked very hard to reach this stage, and no matter how difficult it gets, I will always stand by her and support her dreams,” she said.

For now, the celebrations have begun at home, with the family distributing sweets among neighbours to mark Kumari’s achievement. Her three younger sisters, who are also kabaddi players, said they look up to her as an inspiration, a reminder that a girl from a Haryana village, with determination and hard work, can dream of making it big in sport and representing the country on the world stage.