Racing to become Pro Govinda League’s Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma

The Pro Govinda League's second season will be held in Mumbai with 16 teams. Launched in 2022, the league promotes the native sport with increased professionalism.

Mumbai: Practise sessions for the Pro Govinda League season two, which will be held in Mumbai on Sunday, are on in full swing in several pockets of the city and suburbs. After the pre-qualifiers held last month, 16 short-listed teams will participate at the Dome SVP Stadium in Worli. The league was launched by chief minister Eknath Shinde in 2022, to promote the native sport along the lines of other professional sports. The game’s first season was in 2023.

A team practising for the Pro Govinda League at Baburav Sarnaik Gymnastic Center, Thane.

“We have been practising for 45 days now,” said Sandip Gurav, captain of Balveer Govinda, which is part of the Kolhapur Kings. “We start with a 30-minute warm up and go on for two hours.” A crucial part of the preparation is to identify the players who can be correctly positioned to create the pyramid. Balance is key. “Stretching is important – since they are on their feet for a long span, blood collects in the legs. If someone does not have proper circulation, he can suffer injuries later. Stretching prevents that,” Gurav said, taking a break between practise sessions in Jogeshwari east.

The captain, besides strategy and practice, also decides where to place each participant, based on physical strength, passion for the game, body structure, mental state, determination, and the players’ personal preferences. Avinash Yashwant Rane, captain of Aryans Govinda, said apart from managing the team, he also handles logistics like availability of water and refreshments, keeping a physiotherapist handy should someone suffer muscle cramps, and a general physician to attend to medical emergencies if any. “We treat them like family. So even the players stay connected. When they are taken care of, they feel the responsibility to do well,” said Rane.

The sport calls for both physical and emotional grit. Each member must have laser focus, said Gurav. “I’ve played kabaddi and cricket. But this game rests on team spirit. Two hundred men are coordinating at once – one has to pay attention to each one’s mind, who is sick or weak, who needs motivation,” he added.

The popularity of the League is testament to how well loved the sport is. “I am a fan of the dahi handi festival. When I was a kid I used to play it as well,” said League president and working president of the Yuva Sena (youth wing of the Shiv Sena) Purvesh Pratap Sarnaik. “My father has been organising the dahi handi festival every year since 1997.” The event grew over a period of time such that in 2012 the team Jai Jawan Govinda Pathak earned the Guinness World Record for forming the tallest human pyramid, of nine layers, at 43.79 feet.

Since the time the game became a recognised sport in Maharashtra, the condition of the govindas has improved drastically. While earlier families were wary about letting their children participate, now they look forward to competitions like the Pro Govinda League. “Today, parents tell their sons to go and practise for the Pro Govinda. Every mother is now dreaming of her son becoming the league’s Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma,” said Sarnaik.

“Compared to the league last year, there are more young participants this time,” said Rane.

Last year, the Kokan Nagar Govinda team were placed second, running a mere two seconds behind the winner, Jai Jawan Govinda Pathak. That was a learning – today every team understands the importance of speed, right from forming the pyramid as fast as they can, taking a 10-minute break, then going on to form the second tier, and so on. “Speed is crucial but participants are also told to be careful about injuries,” said Pravin Jadhav, team manager of Kokan Nagar Govinda.

Teams are aware that this is a competitive sport. Last year, the Jai Jawan Govinda Pathak won ₹11 lakh as cash prize, for making an eight-layer pyramid in 43 seconds. The team, which is participating this year, has roughly 700 players. The prize money was used to improve and uplift this community – they organised events like blood donation camps, notebook distribution and offered relief to victims of natural calamities. “Giving back helps build community,” said Vijay Ragunath Nikam, the team manager.

The sport, once considered dangerous, has now attained prestige. “Since becoming a responsible sport, new rules and regulations were introduced. The participants’ perceptions are also changing. They are seeing it as a real sport as there is more discipline and professionalism,” said Nikam. They are proud to be a part of the sport. “What used to be played in the mud is now being played on mats. It is acquiring a new identity. We’re becoming more popular,” added Jadhav.

“The dream is simple,” said Sarnaik. “We want to make this a national level sport.”