'Kabaddi is my life': Patna Pirates star raider Manjeet Dahiya
27-year-old Manjeet Dahiya was bought by Patna Pirates for 92 lakhs in the auction and the raider is proving his mettle on the mat.
Life came full circle for 27-year-old Manjeet Dahiya as Patna Pirates signed the lanky raider for Rs 92 lakhs in the Pro Kabaddi League auction for season 10.
Manjeet, who started his career in 2018 with Patna Pirates, returned to his first team after stints with Puneri Paltan, Tamil Thalaivas, and Haryana Steelers.
The raider from Haryana is known for his reach and ability to score quick touchpoints on the mat. He is also a capable defender who pulls off tackles now and then for his team.
Manjeet's Journey of PKL
Manjeet was bought by the Patna Pirates in season six for the sum of Rs 20.40 lakhs. The move kickstarted his journey into the Pro Kabaddi League.
As a child, Manjeet was always interested in the sport and wanted to become one of the top players.
"Kabaddi is not just a sport but a life for me. I have been interested in the sport since I was a child. My dream has been to see my name on the biggest horizon of Kabaddi," Manjeet told The Bridge during the #AndarSeStrong campaign for Dabur Chyawanprash.
"I started playing Kabaddi after I completed my 12th. I practiced in my village for one year. After playing for some time, I moved to Rohtak and started practicing there," he added further.
"My name in the Pro Kabaddi League auction came when I was playing for Services. I got a job in the Army in 2016 and that's when I started playing for Services," Manjeet explained.
Manjeet scored 102 points from 22 matches in his first season for Patna Pirates.
Following his remarkable show in the first season, Puneri Paltan snapped him next season for a sum of Rs 63 lakhs where he scored 151 points from 22 matches.
Two more seasons of PKL with more than 150 points in his bag followed before Patna Pirates splashed a record Rs 92 lakhs on the 27-year-old to bring him back to the franchise.
Return to Patna Pirates in PKL 10
Manjeet's return to Patna Pirates was on the card when Services man Narender Redhu was announced as the coach of the franchise. Narender Redhu has seen Manjeet's rise since his early days and was instrumental in getting the raider to the Services.
"I saw Manjeet in different tournaments and that's when I decided to enroll him in Army. He became part of Services and started representing us at the National Championships and National Games," Narender said.
"When I became the coach of Patna Pirates, I planned to get him into the team knowing the amount of discipline he has and the hard work he does," he added further.
With 62 points in ten matches, Manjeet has seen a rollercoaster season with Patna Pirates and will hope to lead his team to the playoffs.