Cuttack: Not many Kho Kho players have their brother as their mentor but the same cannot be said for young V Subramani, who has his elder sibling Saravanan to thank for his entry into the sport. Now representing the Adani Sportsline-owned Gujarat Giants in the second season of the Ultimate Kho Kho League, the 20-year-old has come a long way in Kho Kho because of the support that he actively received from his family.

"In class 12, there is the TNKKPL (Tamil Nadu Kho Kho Premier League) is the first time that I got onto the mat for the first time. It was the first time I got to develop as a player. From there, I developed into the player I am now. I did my Under Graduation at PSG College of Arts and Science in Coimbatore. My then Kho Kho coach was very impressed with me and got me a free seat in college so that I could study and play the sport at the same time," recalled the young attacker.

With his brother as his mentor, a young and aspiring sportsperson Subramani got all the help he needed, especially with his brother as the captain of the school team. Under his tutelage, and the push from his grandmother, Subramani is blossoming into one of India's brightest future stars of Kho Kho.

"He (Saravanan) played with me in the same Kho Kho team. Infact, he was my captain in the school team. Right now, he is an IT professional. But he is my mentor because he is the main reason I am able to stand high in this sport. Other than him, my grandmother was also a very supportive factor in my life. She used to say 'You play, I will take care of you. You play well, you keep going on as you are,' she used to motivate me,"

With the support at home, the next important thing that Subramani needed was the infrastructure, and that came in the form of the TNGR Sports Club in Coimbatore, where he honed his skills. He credits his childhood coach and the head of the TNGR Sports Club for their continued encouragement in promoting Kho Kho, and now, with the help of the Tamil Nadu Kho Kho Association, who Subramani praised as well, the young star wants to see better and brighter players of the sport from his home state.

"Nelson sir is the secretary of the Tamil Nadu Kho Kho Association Secretary and the Joint Secretary of the Kho Kho Federation of India. He has been very helpful with my development. But it was at the TNGR Sports Club in Coimbatore, led by Padhmanaban Anna, and Ashok sir, who coached me when I was 6 years old, that I got the confidence to pursue the sport and become the player I am now. Now there should be more players like me in the sport from Tamil Nadu, that is my wish."

Recently, life turned a corner for Subramani as he joined hands with the Adani Sportsline owned Gujarat Giants. “We have assembled a strong squad in season 2, and it is showing with our results. The team management has given us a free hand to work the way we need to, and that clarity is very essential in a big tournament like that.”

“It is a very exciting time at the Adani Sportsline-owned Gujarat Giants. The team is doing well in the second season of the Ultimate Kho Kho League and we are hungry for more. I am grateful to be sharing the dressing room with such experienced and talented players. The goal is set — to win the trophy, and we have the support of the management and we will always do everything to be the best version of ourselves,” he concluded.