He's one of the highest paid non-cricketing player in the country. After he has played his game he wants to start an academy to teach kids kabaddi
Monu Gayat started playing kabbadi as a child, like everyone else in Kungar, a small village in Bhiwani district of Haryana. Lest did he know that one day he will end up as the highest paid non-cricket sportsperson in the country.
The 25-year-old has played as raider for Haryana, worked in the army and also played for Bengal Warriors and Patna Pirates at the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). In the sixth season of the league, he will turn out as a Haryana Steelers player.
Excited about the game's growth in the country, Goyat talks to Moneycontrol about his growing up days, initial years as a kabaadi player and of course, his favourite sport. Edited excerpt:
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People play kabaddi while growing up very casually and always want to become a cricketer when they grow up…did you always want to play kabaddi professionally?
I come from a very middle-class background. I saw kids playing kabaddi in my village and I played with them just like everybody else in the locality did. My uncle Vijender Singh was a great kabaddi player. Every time I saw him I wanted to become like him. I wanted people to know me for my game. I started playing small tournaments and that’s when I thought this is what I want to do- I want to be a kabaddi player.
What was your first pay check like?
My team won the first match I played in 2004 and that won me Rs 11,000. That is where the whole journey began. We had never imagined we would come such a long way but now that we have it is sometimes very difficult to believe. Its not just the pay check that has become fatter, the game too has become very popular and I am glad I had the courage to take up kabaddi as a career.
Have you ever considered an alternate career? Did you think Kabaddi could pay you this much?
No. I was so involved with the game I thought this is all that I could be. I was happy with the small wins. Little did I know that someday kabaddi will be as popular as it is today. I could only finish my first year in college because I joined the army in 2011 through sports quota. There I received training under army coach Jasvir Singh and started playing for the services. My consistent performance as a raider for Haryana got me a place in Pro Kabaddi League. And even when I joined the league I didn’t know I would be where I am today and get the highest bid in any of the seasons.
From Rs 11,000 to Rs 1.5 crore — the sport has taken you places for sure. But do you think people’s perception about the game has changed?
We generally send kids to train in cricket and football but these days people call me to schools to talk to kids about the game. And schools have also started motivating their students to play kabaddi. So there is definitely a huge change in what people think about kabaddi. The game has changed a lot between its first and sixth season as well. From the money to the popularity-everything about kabaddi has changed for good.
Do you see Kabaddi going beyond the Asian Games?
I want to see Kabaddi being played at the Olympics. That’s my dream. We have already come a long way and I don’t see the growth stopping. I will play for the country and once I am done I will start an academy where I can train and motivate the coming generation to take up the sport.