Out of the 12 players the Andhra Kabaddi girls team has fielded, ten hail from humble backgrounds. These girls are proud that their parents are daily wage farm labourers. Representing their state Andhra Pradesh, these girls have come to compete in the Khelo India Youth Games, an initiative of the Indian government to harness quality players from the grassroots.
The girls are all young and raring to go. They beat Chattisgarh 40-28 and the most prominent player in the team in this game was Vandana Suryakala, a player showing immense potential. The young dominating kabaddi player garnered 14 points of the 40 her team scored. Being the top scorer she is all ready to help her team reach the top.
Vandana’s parents work in the fields in Kapusambham in Vizianagaram district. “Each one has a profession and my parents are labourers by profession, And I am very proud of them,” she told TOI.
Vandana started off as an athlete, sprinting through the fields near her humble home. She spotted her friends playing kabaddi, which soon she latched onto and then everything just fell into place.
Her fellow teammate Manukala Devika, whose parents too work as labourers, is all smiles about her team winning and hailing from a labourer’s home
The girls are extremely proud that their hard-working parents have given them the support they need to be where they are today. They hope one day that they would be able to buy their parents their own fields so that they are able to toil and sow their own lands. That day is probably not far when these girls would represent India and probably be the sporting icons the country desires. .
The Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) is being played at the national level since 2018, where practically all states compete in more than 25 disciplines including kabaddi, football, cycling, volleyball, wrestling etc. The objective of KIYG is to promote young athletes from all over India and provide the stage to compete against each other. The job of the players is to play well and the requirements they have are taken care of by the state.
Disclaimer: This content is authored by an external agency. The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). ET does not guarantee, vouch for or endorse any of its contents nor is responsible for them in any manner whatsoever. Please take all steps necessary to ascertain that any information and content provided is correct, updated and verified. ET hereby disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied, relating to the report and any content therein.