17-year-old Nikita Kumari shines as India beat Iran to win kabaddi gold

At 17, Haryana’s Nikita Kumari made a memorable senior debut for India, delivering a crucial performance in the final as the women’s kabaddi team defeated Iran to win gold at the international tournament 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.

Nikita started playing Kabaddi at the age of eight. Her coach, Sunil Dabad, believes that her surroundings and early entry into the sports helped her build mental toughness that Nikita now displays on the international stage.

“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. But she is a confident player and mentally tough, which really helps in Kabaddi,” Nikita said.

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.

“For a 17-year-old, it was a performance that went beyond her years. I can see people are praising her on social media. This is just the beginning,” Dabas added.

The significance of Nikita’s contribution becomes clearer when viewed in the context of the opponent. 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.

“When the match becomes tight, Iran starts playing a rough game. That is when mental toughness becomes very important,” she said.

Nikita had to deal with exactly that kind of pressure. “She continued playing despite suffering injury, showing the determination required to remain on the mat,” Dabas said.

Nikita’s mother, Vinod Kumari, said her daughter showed a natural inclination towards kabaddi from a young age. “She started training when she was in Class 3. She took to the sport naturally and gradually became more serious about it,” she said.

For Vinod, seeing her daughter represent India on the international stage is a moment of immense pride. “It feels wonderful when people come to us and talk about Nikita’s performance. She has not only made our family proud, but has brought pride to Haryana and the country as well by representing India on the global stage,” she told HT.

“I will always support my Gudiya (Nikita’s pet name). When she comes back, we are planning a grand welcome for her. It has not been easy for us. We are from a village, while she has to stay in Gurugram for her studies and training. She has worked very hard to reach this stage, and no matter how difficult it gets, I will always stand by her and support her dreams,” she said.

For now, the celebrations have begun at home, with the family distributing sweets among neighbours to mark Nikita’s achievement.

Her three younger sisters, who are also kabaddi players, look up to her as an inspiration, a reminder that a girl from a Haryana village, with determination and hard work, can dream of making it big in sport and representing the country on the world stage.