Haryana’s Nikita Kumari, just 17 years old, made a remarkable senior debut for India in women’s kabaddi. She played a pivotal role in the final match, helping the team secure a gold medal against Iran at the international tournament held on Saturday.
For Nikita, who is among the youngest members of the Indian squad representing the country at the International level, Kabaddi was never just a sport she discovered later in life. It was part of her surroundings. “In the villages of Haryana, most children grow up playing kabaddi. Nikita and her three younger sisters have all taken to the sport, and I have watched her journey closely from a young age.
I always believed that Nikita had the talent and determination to one day make her country proud,” Dabad said.
Before earning her place in the senior Indian team, Nikita had already established herself at the junior level. She had represented India in youth competitions and also had the responsibility of captaining the Indian junior side. “The transition, however, is never easy. When India found itself in a difficult situation against Iran, she was brought onto the mat at a crucial juncture. Rather than allowing the occasion or the pressure to dictate her game, the teenager responded with an attacking performance that gave India the impetus it needed. The significance of Nikita’s contribution becomes clearer when viewed in the context of the opponent. “When the match becomes tight, Iran starts playing a rough game.
But she is a confident player and mentally tough, which really helps in Kabaddi,” Nikita said. Coach Dabas told HT that Iran is among the strongest teams in Asian women’s Kabaddi and matches between the two sides can become intensely physical. That is when mental toughness becomes very important,” she said.
