"I thought I would leave this sport after two or three years" - Jagannath Murmu on Ultimate Kho Kho League's impact on his life

The second edition of the Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK) concluded on January 13. The Odisha Juggernauts defeated the Telugu Yoddhas in the final by eight points to lift the title. The Rajasthan Warriors held the wooden spoon in the second season of UKK.

The Warriors struggled and had a miserable time in this edition. They finished at the bottom of the points table after failing to win a single game. They lost all their 10 league fixtures and finished with only two points to their name.

Jagannath Murmu represented the Odisha Juggernauts in the first season. He was picked up by the Rajasthan Warriors in the player draft before the second edition. He is an all-rounder and has grabbed 21 points so far in 17 appearances, including 17 dive points.

During the second season, Murmu interacted with SportsKeeda, speaking about his journey and how the Ultimate Kho Kho League has changed his life.

Here are the excerpts from the interview:

#1 How has your journey been?

Jagannath Murmu: I have been playing Kho-Kho from the age of 10 years. The Ultimate Kho Kho League has given a lot of respect to the players along with money. It wasn’t popular when I started but it is coming on TV now and many people are watching. People have started recognizing us.

#2 Can you tell us about your family background and the difficulties you faced during lockdown?

Jagganath Murmu: Yeah. It was a difficult time during lockdown. I come from a middle-class family and my father does the labor work. My mother is a homemaker. I haven’t got any job yet and it was problematic during the lockdown. The condition at home improved after the Ultimate Kho Kho League and everyone is happy now.

#3 How has the Ultimate Kho Kho League impacted your life?

Jagganath Murmu: I thought I would leave this sport after two or three years. I’m 25 years old now. But after getting a platform like the Ultimate Kho Kho, I’m certainly thinking of carrying on playing for five more years. You have to practice to keep performing in the league.

#4 Did your family support you while pursuing a career in Kho Kho?

Jagganath Murmu: My mother supported me very well to practice. My father was angry when I started playing but after seeing me play in Ultimate Kho Kho League, he was also happy.

#5 What do you think about the new rule of ‘Wazir’? How did you feel when your coach appointed you as the ‘Wazir’?

Jagganath Murmu: One needs to be fit to be a ‘Wazir’. You have to work hard. My coach thought that I could become the ‘Wazir’. ‘Wazir’ is permanent in the team and I feel good that the coach gave me this responsibility. I feel happy to be playing the role of a ‘Wazir’ in the team.

#6 How do feel when the fans come out to watch you play and support you?

Jagganath Murmu: It’s a big platform and everyone is watching on TV. The fans have increased and everyone supports us. I can’t even describe how I’m feeling seeing their support. If they keep supporting us in the same way in the future, our Kho Kho league will reach new heights.

#7 You are from Odisha. How has the reaction been in your town? Have the children started saying that they will start playing Kho Kho on seeing you?

Jagganath Murmu: Everyone in my town knew that I was playing Kho Kho. But everyone used to say "You play big leagues but never come on TV." But, after the Ultimate Kho Kho League, everyone started watching me on TV and called to tell me that I had been playing well. My parents are also happy to see me reach this level.

This interview was filed with inputs from Akshay Bhide.