Arjun Deshwal’s Journey to Become a Kabaddi Sensation from Muzaffarnagar

Arjun Deshwal’s journey in Kabaddi began in the humble village of Basera, in Muzaffarnagar of Uttar Pradesh. In rural parts of India, kabaddi is not just a sport, but a lifestyle. Kabaddi was a part of his everyday life which was later nurtured by his mentors and senior players.

“I began going to the local field, and within 15–20 days, my family encouraged me to play Kabaddi. I enjoyed playing it there, and I received a lot of support from my family,” Arjun says.

However, taking up sports as a career, requires a lot of dedication and involves financial hurdles. Arjun talks about recent initiatives by the Uttar Pradesh government. “If you win a gold medal at the Asian Games you can win a reward of ₹3 crore, and athletes can also secure key positions in the state police,” he says.

Despite facing significant challenges and injury, Arjun has come a long way. At the 2022 Asian Games in China, he played a crucial role which eventually led India clinching the gold medal in Kabaddi.

"Representing India was a dream come true for me," Arjun says with a smile, "The support from my family was huge, and they were very happy. I was the only athlete to be selected from Uttar Pradesh!’’

Lucknow Lions performed exceptionally well under the guidance of their experienced coach, Kuldeep. Arjun mentioned that Kuldeep motivates them with a positive approach, never resorting to forceful tactics, and always explaining things clearly.

‘’We now have access to all the necessary facilities, which is fantastic. I strongly believe we should prioritize sports even more. With new generations coming up, there's so much potential. Encouraging young people to pursue careers in sports will only benefit us in the long run.” he stresses.

Being an athlete involves highs and lows with major competitions like the Asian Games occurring only once every four years. Arjun highlighted the rigorous dedication that is required. “Athletes put in five to ten years of hard work for each competition, making drastic lifestyle changes that involve being disciplined, eating right, training, and resting.”

The excitement for the first-ever Uttar Pradesh Kabaddi League is high. This league will surely inspire more young athletes to take up kabaddi professionally. And it will provide a great platform for kabaddi aspirants to show their talents. “I believe that a person should create their own dream and commit to it wholeheartedly. If you don't have a dream in life, you won't have the power to achieve anything,” Arjun advises young athletes.

“If we keep supporting and working hard, kabaddi and other sports have a great future ahead. Helping young people choose careers in sports will be good for us in the future,” he expressed.

As he continues to chase his dreams in kabaddi, Arjun remains an inspiration to the whole country. From leading Lucknow Lions in the Uttar Pradesh Kabaddi League to winning the inaugural season, he proves that with hard work and belief in oneself, anything is possible.