As Ultimate Kho-Kho is set to kick off, the 22-year-old Rajat Malik has finally got a platform to showcase his talent. Rajat who, hails from Ghaziabad, will represent Mumbai Khiladis in the inaugural season of the Ultimate Kho Kho.
Having started playing Kho Kho in school, Rajat spoke about how he entered the world of Kho-Kho, “I started playing early on in school. There was a tournament in the vicinity in which our school was participating. So, our school team conducted trials for new players to join. I could not make the initial cut and not getting selected hurt, I sobbed relentlessly as my school principal presented jerseys to the new school Kho-Kho team members. Narrowly missing out motivated me to practise harder than ever as I dedicated my time to improving my game. I started practising every day alone and even with the school team, and in no time, I finally made it to the school team and was presented with a jersey from my school principal."
Rajat, went on to talk about his humble origins and how they helped them become a better person and player, “My father and mother are shop-keepers and farmers, I have seen them work extremely hard to improve the lives of my two young brothers and me. They never discouraged me from playing, in fact, they have always encouraged me to follow my aspirations as long as I was dedicated and focused. Once I got selected for the Uttar Pradesh team they realised that I have a talent for Kho-Kho and were immensely proud of what I had achieved as they made sure all our neighbours knew about it."
The young Kho-Kho player also spoke about the crucial role his father played in his career and life, “My father being an ex-state-level Athlete and Kabaddi player, understood the added value of sports in life but he made sure that I focused on my studies and education as much. He helped me understand how important discipline and routine are for any athlete because of which I feel I can overcome any hurdle through sheer hard work now."
Rajat who is on course to finish his Master’s in Physical Education this year has concentrated on his education whole-heartedly while balancing his commitment to the sport of Kho-Kho. This has yielded great results for him as he got selected for India’s National Kho-Kho team recently and is set to represent the nation at the Asian Kho Kho Championship.
When asked about the challenges he faced on his journey to Ultimate Kho-Kho, Rajat said, “That initially when I saw the other children wear branded gear while playing, I used to get jealous and wanted them myself. Although my father could not buy expensive sports gear for me, he taught me that I have to earn them. So, I did. Now I wear branded sports gear that I bought with my own money. This really helped me build my character." The humble young player now is ready to help his Mumbai Khiladis teammates as he will fight alongside them for wins and points in the upcoming Ultimate Kho-Kho league.
Speaking about the inaugural edition of the Ultimate Kho-Kho, the Uttar Pradesh native said, “I am extremely happy that something like Ultimate Kho-Kho is starting, it will provide players like me the perfect platform to showcase our talent. It is also going to be a transformative experience for a lot of players like me who despite our dedication have struggled to become successful or famous. It is an honour for me to be a part of Ultimate Kho-Kho’s inaugural season."
India’s first-ever franchise-based Kho-Kho league, will be played from August 14 to September 4 at the Balewadi Stadium. Rajat Malik and many more players like him are eagerly waiting for its commencement.
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