Khelo India Youth Games: Daughters of farm labourers make up most of Andhra kabaddi girl's team

"So what, I am a daughter of farm labourer parents. I am proud of them," Vandana Suryakala, a member of Andhra Pradesh's kabaddi girl's team in the ongoing Khelo India Youth Games, tells anybody who asked her about her family background.

"Each one has a profession and my parents are labourers by profession. And I am very proud of them," the feisty player said She is not the only one of similar background. Nine other team-mates out of the total 12 are daughters of farm labourers from a small hamlet of Kapusambham near Vizianagaram. The proud girls are here for the Khelo India Youth Games, not only to battle it out for a medal but also to become future sporting stars.

Suryakala made her debut at the KIYG on Friday and has underlined her prowess. The young raider scored 14 whopping points in her team's 40-28 win over Chhattisgrah in a group match at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium. "I started off as a runner because I used to sprint to the fields when I was a child. But when I turned seven, I switched to kabaddi after seeing all my friends play it," she said with a smile.

"I quickly got a hang of it and there has been no turning back." Another debutante, Munakala Devika, a student of GNR Junior College, spoke on similar lines. "We are proud of our parents and it is because of them that we are here. They have encouraged us to play the game, giving us all the support that I need."

Whenever the cheerful girls are not competing or training at camps, they are more than happy to help out their parents in the fields. They are waiting for the day when they can buy fields for their own parents.