"A person taunted me because I played kho kho, calling it a girl’s game" - Mumbai Khiladis' Rohit Verma on change in mentality due to Ultimate Kho Kho 2022

Mumbai Khiladis' Rohit Verma recently spoke about the changing mentality of people towards the sport of kho kho since the introduction of Ultimate Kho Kho 2022. Before the marquee tournament, there was not much recognition for the game or its players, despite them achieving great laurels for the country.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Rohit revealed how he was taunted for playing what was considered a girly sport in his locality before his journey for the marquee kho kho tournament. However, he boldly replied and asked the person to judge him once he returned after the tournament.

Throwing light on the lofty fitness standards needed to play kho kho, Rohit stated:.

"The day I was traveling for Ultimate Kho Kho, a person taunted me because I played Kho Kho, calling it a girl’s game. I remained silent and asked him to judge me once I returned.

"This is the mentality towards Kho Kho. But the endurance, speed and stamina needed for Kho Kho is not needed in any other sport. If you have played Kho Kho in your life, you can play any other sport - that is the fitness level of a Kho Kho player.”

Speaking about the impact of Ultimate Kho Kho, Rohit said that it has sparked interest in the game, similar to what the Pro Kabaddi League has done. Rohit continued that he is already receiving calls enquiring about the trials and selections for the next edition of Ultimate Kho Kho.

"I am already receiving calls asking about the trials and selections for Ultimate Kho Kho. The interest in Kho Kho is growing among the youth the same way the introduction of the Pro Kabaddi League brought about a wave of attraction towards the sport. Ultimate Kho Kho has also done something similar," he added.

Rohit also went on to share his journey ahead of the Ultimate Kho Kho 2022. He narrated a childhood story where boys in his school were introduced to an array of sports due to the scarcity of students. He continued:

“I got introduced to the game in the second grade. I used to study in a village school, where there were hardly any kids. Kho Kho required 12 people and our school had around 15 boys so we did not have the option of whether or not we wanted to play. To ensure that the school could participate in tournaments, everyone had to play.

"Because of this, we participated in kho kho, kabaddi, badminton, volleyball and others too. Initially, Kabaddi used to be my favourite game."

Although Kabaddi was his favorite sport, Rohit was not picked in teams due to his short height. Nonetheless, that opened the doors for him in another sport, kho kho, which has led to him playing for the Khiladis here.

"In seventh grade, I was selected for my first kho kho national. Although my kabaddi was good too, I was not selected since my height was short. I was in twelfth grade when I played the India vs England Test series. I shifted from Himachal Pradesh to Chandigarh to pursue a Bachelor of Arts, since I thought I could learn some better skills there," he added further.

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"We chopped trees and made Kho Kho poles from them" - Rohit Verma on how he practiced during the lockdown

Rohit spoke about his family background, including a heartwarming incident about his childhood where his father used to accompany him to play in tournaments away from home.

“I have a younger brother and my family has always motivated both of us to achieve something in sports. When I was young, I could not live away from my family. My father used to accompany me to where the tournament used to be held," Rohit stated.

Speaking about the problems faced during the lockdown, Rohit divulged how his friends and his brother went to a nearby forest and made Kho Kho poles from chopped trees, which were planted in his garden and used them for practicing. Rohit added:

"There were a lot of difficulties practicing during the lockdown. My friends, my brother and I went to the nearby forest and chopped trees and made Kho Kho poles from them. We planted those poles in my garden and we used them for practice. Even now, I practice on it in the mornings and evenings.”

Lastly, Rohit signed off with a message to his fellow Himachal Pradesh kho kho aspirants. He spoke about how they need to work on their skills as they already possess the required speed and stamina to play the high-octane sport.

“I would like to give a message to the Kho Kho players of Himachal Pradesh. I would just like to say that we have to develop Kho Kho in Himachal Pradesh and we have to practice for all twelve months. We don’t lack speed or stamina, we just need to concentrate on our skills, which we will do together," he concluded.

Although the Mumbai Khiladis will not be seen taking the mat in the playoffs, they have had their fair share of moments to cherish going into the next edition of Ultimate Kho Kho.