“80% of the players in the next Kabaddi World Cup will be from the Yuva Kabaddi Series” - CEO of YKS, Vikas Gautam, on the rise of the league

Yuva Kabaddi Series (YKS) has become a prominent league now in the kabaddi circuit. The sport, which was lesser known a decade ago, saw a massive attraction from the public and other stakeholders after the arrival of the Pro Kabaddi League in 2014.

In the initial years, PKL saw the best players from the country and world taking part in the league. However, as time passed, there was a need for a platform that caters to the youth involved in the sport. Then came the Yuva Kabaddi Series, managed by the CEO Vikas Gautam, which became India’s first tournament to promote kabaddi among the young players.

YKS is not like any one-time-a-year tournament. It is a year-long tournament that is conducted in multiple cities throughout the year with its different Summer, Monsoon, and Winter editions. It became a perfect platform for youngsters to showcase their talent and rise up the charts further in PKL and then in the national team.

More than 60 players from YKS were a part of PKL 10, and that number is surely expected to increase in the coming seasons. In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Vikas Gautam discussed numerous things right from the inception of YKS to their initiatives and future prospects.

Here are the excerpts from the interview:

You have a corporate background in client services. How was the transition to the sports industry?

Vikas Gautam: Post my MBA, I started my career selling insurance, but within three to six months, I realized that it wasn't my cup of tea, so I quit. I then started working with a company called India Mart and worked at a couple of other companies over six to seven years.

Later, I moved to Bangalore and worked as a consultant for the Tata Group of companies, Tanishq Jewelry, Titan, and DRDO Labs. The life in the corporate world was different, with specific client requirements and boundaries to work within. It was tough because you had to meet these requirements, and then there was nothing else to do. From the very beginning, I wanted to experiment and do things on my own. Today, I have that flexibility, especially with kabaddi.

When I relocated to Bangalore, I knew Arvind Sivdas for more than a decade. Arvind was already working with Saina Nehwal. In 2014, when the Pro Kabaddi League started, we had a discussion about it. Arvind was doing analytics work for Saina, and we thought, "Why not kabaddi?"

That was the first trigger that led us to where we are today. We started working on it and even had an analytics website. We realized there was no content about kabaddi or the players, which was a space where we could invest our time and create content. That was the beginning. We built a professional platform for players. That led to our previous startup (Kabaddi Adda) and eventually to the Yuva Kabaddi Series (YKS).

There has been a surge in YKS players featuring in the Pro Kabaddi League. What do you think has contributed to this growth?

Vikas Gautam: There was no professional platform available for these players, especially those coming from kabaddi markets like Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Other than the Pro Kabaddi League for senior players, there was no platform. We initiated our first edition in Haryana and then in Rajasthan. We started getting calls and messages on social media platforms asking why not other states.

We started inviting players from different states, from Jammu & Kashmir to Assam, Tripura, Manipur, and Tamil Nadu. When these players started coming and playing, we did more than just let them play. We have partners like Mind Plus, providing psychologists throughout the tournament to help players groom mentally. Sports take a mental toll, and players stay with us for about 30 days, experiencing ups and downs. The feedback from players who have taken these sessions has been amazing, helping them to improve their performance.

We also started a program called Self-Siksha, where we assess players' academic skills and provide training in areas like data interpretation. This helps them build a career beyond kabaddi. From the beginning, we trained players on media interaction subtly through press conferences after matches.

In the past 10 editions, we've invested over five crores in prize money and an equal amount in their experiences, such as stay and food. This amounts to more than 10 crores in the last two years, which is significant in the kabaddi ecosystem. We are adding value to their lives and helping them grow.

YKS is also growing in the area of women's kabaddi. How do you see the rise of women's kabaddi in India?

Vikas Gautam: Our very first women's edition was in February in Jaipur, and the response was really good. They face similar problems as the men, with no platform available for them. We have many players across the states and are looking forward to creating platforms for them. It’s a work in progress, and we may soon announce something in continuation with what we did in Jaipur.

There are societal challenges for women's sports, especially kabaddi. How do you plan to tackle those?

Vikas Gautam: Our tournament format is about 30 days long, which means players need to stay for the entire duration. Challenges generally exist when they choose to play towards the beginning. We are currently not ready to handle those challenges as we come at a later stage.

Today, parents and families are more open compared to the '80s and '90s. In Haryana, Maharashtra, and South India, many female players are now participating. From our end, we ensure a safe space for everyone. We are a POSH-compliant company, ensuring the safety of all players and staff and creating a secure environment for everyone involved.

Initially, YKS mostly had players from the north. Now, with YKS taking place in Tamil Nadu, there’s a rise in players from that region. How do you see the talent pool in Tamil Nadu and southern states?

Vikas Gautam: The talent in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra is immense. Earlier, the dominance was from Haryana and UP, but there is real quality in the south and Maharashtra. We saw this in our Tamil Nadu edition with 16 clubs participating. The next big markets are Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, and this is reflected in the Pro Kabaddi League, where more players from these states are being selected.

There’s a lot of competition starting now across the country. How do you plan to differentiate YKS from others?

Vikas Gautam: We’ve grown with the support of the community, including associations, players, and referees. We have a proper selection process for referees and officials, and we have created a family-like environment. The initiatives we have taken, such as learning programs, mental fitness, and prompt payment to players, set us apart.

We ensure payments are made within 15 days of the tournament's end directly to the player's account, and we have a structured process for everything. YKS is still way behind cricket, but still, the quality of graphics we produce on Fancode, camera angles, and the content generated on our social media have been much appreciated and are big differentiators for us. We also offer year-long insurance coverage for over 800 players across India, which is rare in the industry.

With the Kabaddi World Cup coming next year, how do you think YKS can help provide players for the international stage?

Vikas Gautam: 80% of the players in the next Kabaddi World Cup will be from the Yuva Kabaddi Series. The younger players from YKS will form a significant part of the team. Previously in PKL as well, the same senior players were playing for a long time, but now there is a surge of younger talent after YKS. We believe these young players will lift the trophy for India in the 2025 World Cup.

India is bidding to host the 2036 Olympics and plans to include kabaddi. How do you think YKS can help at the national and international levels for India’s bid?

Vikas Gautam: Popularity comes when many people adopt the sport. Kabaddi is still more of a rural game. We need to bring it to urban areas and have conversations about kabaddi in drawing rooms. We need a lot of tournaments and platforms to increase visibility and participation.

Creating stars in kabaddi, like in cricket, will help. There is also a need to create stars in the sport and increase the hype. We need organizers, associations, sponsors, and all stakeholders to come together to create this space. By 2036, we need people talking about kabaddi, like how we do for cricket, and even parents allowing their kids to adopt the sport without any hesitation.

Are there any plans to include YKS at the junior level in the future?

Vikas Gautam: We are indirectly catering to the grassroots level. Younger kids aspire to play in the Yuva Kabaddi Series, creating a ripple effect. Kabaddi is a high-intensity, body-contact game, so the career span of a raider is short. We need a continuous supply of new talent. The ripple effect at the grassroots level is helping to grow the sport.

How has data helped in increasing performances and reducing injuries in this injury-prone sport?

Vikas Gautam: Data plays a major role, starting from player selection. Coaches now look at data points to evaluate performance. We do pre-assessments of players and provide information to coaches, helping them make informed decisions. Data helps in preventing injuries by tracking and managing player health. It enhances the quality of the product and helps make informed decisions by identifying patterns.

How has the support from the government and associations helped in getting players?

Vikas Gautam: We don’t deal much with the government, but associations are strong partners. They help us with player selection, finding venues, providing match officials, and overall support. This relationship has grown over time, and they are very supportive. We help them out with royalties and create platforms for players, ultimately benefiting the associations as well.