It's not cool to be known as a single-sport nation. Certainly not when you are nearly 1.3 billion in number. Over the past few years, we have been trying hard to change this perception. Even as cricket and its pampered superstars continue to rule our collective consciousness, a new crop of sportspersons is making waves in less glamorous but no less pulsating disciplines.
Whether or not the 'IPLisation' of kabaddi, hockey, badminton, tennis and football is a move in the right direction is open to discussion, but there is no doubt about the fact that it has given these sports that much-needed lift in terms of visibility, recognition and, above all, money. In addition, the stupendous level of consistency displayed by our shooters, wrestlers, boxers and weightlifters in quadrennial showpiece events like the Olympic, Asian and Commonwealth Games ought to be noticed and rewarded. There was a time when every other schoolgoer wanted to become Sachin Tendulkar. But now, don't be stumped if you come across a kid who idolises wrestler Sushil Kumar, the only Indian to win medals at consecutive Olympic Games.
Which is why dna is featuring six up and coming superstars who ply their trade on dusty grounds and smooth mats, astroturf and ranges, akharas and arenas. Anup Kumar, Kashiling Adake (both kabaddi), Mandeep Singh (hockey), Jitu Rai (shooting), Sathish Kumar Sivalingam (weightlifting) and Vinesh Phogat (wrestling) aren't household names. But sooner than later, they will be.
Each of these 'Super Six' has defied convention, overcome poverty and withstood pressure from various quarters to carve out a niche. If Adake worked on farms to support his ailing father, Rai moved from Nepal to Uttar Pradesh in search of livelihood. While Sivalingam dropped out of college for want of funds, Phogat invited the wrath of her villagers for taking up a sport "meant for men".
Say hello to India's new-age sport stars.
Anup Kumar
Sport: Kabaddi
Hometown: Palra, Haryana
The 31-year-old captains the U Mumba franchise in the Pro Kabaddi League. Kumar fell in love with the high-paced, athletic and full-contact sport after watching his father, a former subedar-major, excel at it. But given the fact that the powers-that-be never gave the sport its due, Kumar was advised to focus on shot put, his other love. But Kumar wouldn't have any of it. One thing led to another and Kumar landed a job with the CRPF. Now, he is an inspector with the Haryana Police. He pocketed a cool sum of Rs10.2 lakh at the PKL auctions. He hopes that his five-year-old son too embraces the sport. "I want my son to win an Olympic gold," Kumar says.
Kashiling Adake
Sport: Kabaddi
Hometown: Sangli, Maharashtra
His is a tale of passion and sacrifice. Adake has been associated with kabaddi since the age of 13. But it was only in 2012 that he played his first professional tournament. With an ailing father to take care of, Adake had to stay away from the sport for nearly eight years. He made a pittance by working in farms. Things just got worse after his father passed away. Adake's dream of making it big as a kabaddi player seemed a distant one. But his brother Sunil wouldn't allow that to happen. "My brother came to my rescue. I practised hard with the hope of making it big," Adake says. A six-footer, he makes Rs10 lakh by playing for the Dabang Delhi franchise.
Mandeep Singh
Sport: Hockey
Hometown: Mithapur, Punjab
He is only 19, but oozes experience. Singh shot to fame during the inaugural edition of the Hockey India League in 2013, in which he scored 10 goals in 13 matches to power the Ranchi Rhinos to glory. Adjudged the league's 'Upcoming Player of the Tournament', he ensured hockey lovers the world over took notice of his talent. Incidentally, Singh hails from the same village as the legendary Pargat Singh. A produce of the Surjeet Hockey Academy in Jalandhar, Mandeep's exploits earned him a berth in the national team almost immediately. In the Hockey World League held in January this year, he scored a brilliant hat-trick against Olympic champions Germany. It was India's first win over the European giants since 2004.
Jitu Rai
Sport: Shooting (50 metres pistol)
Hometown: Sankhuwasabha, Nepal
Till about three months ago, he was a nobody. Now, they call him 'The Pistol King'. That said, the proud naib subedar isn't resting on his laurels. Rai, who moved to Lucknow in 2006, is well and truly an Indian citizen now. But his family lives in Nepal. His mother cultivates rice on a patch of terraced land in their village. Three of his brothers work abroad. Rai took the big leap by winning a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. However, the UP government continues to ignore his achievements. Even as Rai plans to migrate to another state, his dream of winning a medal at the world championships, to be held in Granada (Spain) next month, are intact.
Sathish Kumar Sivalingam
Sport: Weightlifting (77 kg)
Hometown: Vellore, Tamil Nadu
His father works as a security guard at VIT University. So you can imagine how tough it must have been for the family to provide for Sivalingam's dietary needs. The weightlifter started his day with omelette and idlis. He then consumed 250 grams of chicken, rice and half-a-litre of milk after his workout. The father made just enough money to serve his son mutton once a week. Sivalingam even dropped out of his BA course for want of funds. But, once he secured a job in Southern Railway, things changed for the better. He could now dream big. His gold-winning performance at the Commonwealth Games will go a long way in challenging the myth that weightlifters can rise to the top "only by using banned substances".
Vinesh Phogat
Sport: Wrestling (48 kg)
Hometown: Balali, Haryana
The 19-year-old is the third of the famous Phogat sisters. Her older cousins Geeta, the first Indian woman wrestler to qualify for the London Olympics, and Babita were once subjected to ridicule and criticism by their villagers. Why? Well, because they chose to embrace a sport dominated by men. But after returning from Glasgow, where she won the gold medal, Vinesh is now enjoying her celebrity status. She says she was in constant touch with Babita, who had to skip the event because of an injury. "Haregi toh silver aur jitegi toh gold (lose, and you'll get a silver medal; win, and you'll come back with gold)," Babita told her. Vinesh thought of nothing but victory. Her next aim is to win big at the Asiad and Rio Olympics.
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