What’s the story?
One of the star draws of this year’s Vivo Pro Kabaddi League player auction, Selvamani K was signed up by Jaipur Pink Panthers for a staggering INR 73 lakhs. The man from Salem was over the moon following the announcement. Having starred for Dabang Delhi in three of the four seasons so far, he knew he was going to be picked up at the auction. But even he couldn’t have predicted that he would go for over Rs. 70 lakhs.
“I thought around INR 40 lakhs, to be honest. But 70... wow. I wasn’t following the auction and it was late at night when one of my friends called me up to inform me of this. I actually thought I was in a dream. It all still feels surreal,” Selvamani said.
Humble and down to earth, Selvamani was quick to point out the people behind his success. “If I am to express gratitude for those responsible for my achievements, I must first mention A Safiulla, the President of Tamil Nadu Amateur Kabaddi Association, and R Swamiyappan, Secretary of Salem District Amateur Kabaddi Association. Their guidance and support catapulted me into the big league. Coach Ponnappa of the Delhi team was the one who guided me into making the leap.”
The context
Selvamani hails from the district that produced the likes of Mariyappan Thangavelu and Thangarasu Natarajan. Belonging to Thekampatti in Omalur Taluk, the 25-year-old raider was one of the costliest transfers in the Vivo Pro Kabaddi 2017 auction.
Selvamani was in awe of the sport of kabaddi from as early as the 9th standard. The love affair with the sport continued as he pursued a diploma in Mechanical Engineering at CSI Polytechnic, Salem. He joined the Tamil Nadu Amateur Kabaddi Association (TAKA) in his final year where he received professional training and mentoring and eventually made it to the Tamil Nadu team in 2014.
The heart of the matter
It was Delhi who brought him to the Pro Kabaddi League a few seasons ago for just INR 2 lakhs. Known for his agility, which allows him to sneak past defenders in a flash, the lanky raider has played 31 matches so far in the Pro Kabaddi League.
He has attempted 222 raids out of which 72 have been successful. He has racked up a total of 98 points, his raids accounting for 97 alone. Fittingly, he has not been shown a single card so far in the Pro Kabaddi League.
What’s next?
His rise to stardom has enabled his family to pay off their debts and he has certain targets in mind for the future. He wants to build a house for his family. The money from the auction will also help him arrange his younger sister’s marriage.
Working as a clerk in South Central Railways, Selvamani is forthright about his plans and his main focus is finding a spot in the national team for the Asian Games next year.
Author’s Take
For someone who was playing for his local club not too long ago, it has been a tremendous journey for this small town lad. After making it in the big league, there has been no looking back. He is already a hero in his native village and the locals credit him with the growth of kabaddi in the area.
