Kabaddi stars Ajay Thakur, Dharmaraj Cheralathan, Deepak Niwas Hooda rally for mental health

Ex-captain of the Indian Kabaddi Team Ajay Thakur, along with award-winning national players like BC Ramesh, Ashok Shinde, Rishank Devadiga, Indian Captain Deepak Niwas Hooda, veteran player Dharmaraj Cheralathan and, Dronacharya Awardee coach Rambir Singh Khokhar among others, have come together to rally for the mental health of kabaddi players across India.

This is in the wake of recent events and mental health issues arising from the lockdown and physical preparedness for upcoming K7 tournaments and the importance of helping players get back into shape physically and mentally.

The leaders will be part of a special initiative called 'Mann Ki Jeet' which will be accessible to everyone and will support and guide young players with mental health issues. Live interactive sessions will be hosted by former professional cricketer and sports presenter, Suhail Chandhok.

Additionally, prominent industry psychiatrists and psychologists will address queries from 800+ kabaddi players from 90+ academies. Former Dean and Senior Professor of Psychiatry at NIMHANS, Bangalore, Dr. Santosh Kumar Chaturvedi, among other prominent doctors, is on board as well.

Ajay Thakur said:

"I too have been suffering from anxiety and depression since the pandemic. I would now like to help young players participating in the K7 tournament realise their mental health issues and work around the same. This has been a hard time for all of us and I'm truly hoping that the upcoming events will rescue us from this dry run."

He also added:

"I'm so glad to see so many kabaddi community leaders coming together and joining forces to take up the cause to help the Kabaddi players’ ecosystem."

In his advice to players who are looking to get back to the field, former Dean, and Senior Professor of Psychiatry at NIMHANS, Bangalore, Dr. Santosh Kumar Chaturvedi said:

“There is no health without mental health, and it is vital to have a stable and tranquil mind. Athletes must understand the importance of mental health in order to achieve maximum confidence and dexterity when going back to the field. If they identify any difficulties related to their mental health, they should address it immediately. They can reach out to friends, colleagues, coaches or professionals. ”

Founded by former professional cricketer and IPL commentator Suhail Chandhok and Arvind Sivdas, Kabaddi Adda is the digital market leader and trust holder of the Indian vernacular kabaddi fan. With tremendous reach on social media that already includes over 500,000 Kabaddi players and fans, mostly from Bharat, Kabaddi Adda has developed a deep-rooted connection within this ecosystem.

IPL presenter and kabaddi expert analyst Suhail Chandhok said:

“Kabaddi is the second most important sport in the country after cricket and deserves the due attention and recognition for players at India's grassroot level. This initiative aims to break the stigma and assist kabaddi athletes in addressing the mental health issues that they might be facing, and in the process create a healthier ecosystem."

About Ajay Thakur:

Fondly known as the Flying Thakur, Ajay was born on May 1st, 1986 in the Dabhota village of Nalagrah District of Himachal Pradesh to a Kabaddi family. His father Chottu Ram was a state level wrestler.

He has been playing for the Indian National Kabaddi Team since 2013 and has brought home pride and accolades. He was one of the youngest players to represent India at the age of 19. He had won gold medals representing India at the 2007 Asian Indoor Games and the 2013 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.

He rose to prominence after the 2014 Incheon Games, where India won the gold medal in Kabaddi. For his exceptional performance, he was awarded the Man of the Tournament award in Kabaddi World Cup 2016. In 2019, the nation honoured this great athlete with the Padma Shri award – The fourth highest civilian honour in the Republic of India.