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As I glanced over my shoulder to scan the crowd at Bengaluru’s Shree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium, I could see a passionate section of Puneri Paltan fans, cheering for their team incessantly ahead of the clash against Patna Pirates.
The Paltan are among the only two teams who have been a part of the league since its inception but do not have any silverware in their cabinet. That, however, did not discourage their fans, as their hopes were rekindled last season with the emergence of two new stars – Aslam Inamdar and Mohit Goyat.
The voices of the Puneri fans were not as loud in their second match, as they faced the home team, Bengaluru Bulls. Yet, both Aslam and Mohit put in a shift and a half, combining to score 23 of their team’s 39 points, albeit the outcome did not go in their favour.
Aslam, the 23-year-old raider possessing consummate dexterity, hails from Taklibhan, a small village in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar. Mohit, Aslam’s partner-in-crime, is a 21-year-old nascent star in the Kabaddi fraternity, who comes from a village called Bhaini Kungar in Haryana.
As Aslam occupied a chair beside the crystal clear swimming pool of a five-star hotel in Bengaluru for an interview with The Quint, he reminisced how water would have a very dissimilar connotation for him during his childhood. Droplets of rain would seep through the roof of his house whenever it rained, but it only made him more unyielding in his path.
Speaking about his roots, the 23-year-old said “I was raised in a village, and started my journey with my local club. I didn’t have much idea about the sport and what one can achieve from it.”
Mohit, who had taken a seat next to Aslam, could relate to his teammate's journey, as he too had charted a similar path. “My journey is similar, with my roots being in a small village from Bhiwani, a district in Haryana. Kids older than me used to play Kabaddi, which got me hooked on the sport. It was at a K7 tournament in Haryana where I performed well and caught the attention of Puneri Paltan’s coach, who called me for a trial – that’s how I made it to this team.” he stated.
Aslam, who Mohit referred to as the most talkative member and the biggest prankster of the team, would not face any hindrances in his Kabaddi journey from his family. However, knowing well the financial situation of the family, his elder brother would rather have Aslam study.
“My family was supportive, except that my brother was very concerned about my future. When he would see me playing, he would take me out of the field and put me to study. However, that did not stop me. I would practice daily, would not miss a session,” he recollects.
Mohit sported a smile, as in this one aspect, his story is not in synchronization with his partner’s. “Mine was a bit different because I was not as focused in the initial days and used to skip practice. My family always encouraged me to stop being irregular, and since then, they have always been supportive,” he informs.
Unlike the last season, they are not unknown players anymore. The coaches and analysts in each team will closely watch their video clips and develop their strategy accordingly, but that does not faze either.
On being asked about what they are planning to do differently this season, Aslam said “We are also making changes to our tactics, developing new skills. You will get to see it in the coming matches.”
Aslam supported the Haryana-born player by saying “I can’t even describe how strong our friendship is. Yahaan to kaafi saare bolte rahte hain ki ye joodi tutega nahin, last tak chalega (Here, many say that this bond between us is unbreakable, it will last an eternity). Some even call us brothers.”
Indeed, the sport has brought together two young talents who hailed from different states but have shared similar journeys. Now, as they eradicate their hardships, Aslam and Mohit vow to not let anything deter them from their path.
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