"We earn our daily living by collecting scraps" - Ace all-rounder Ramji Kashyap shares a touching story about his upbringing

Chennai Quick Guns' ace all-rounder, Ramji Kashyap, who will go down as one of the best players in Ultimate Kho Kho 2022, revealed the hardships and difficulties he faced in his journey leading up to the glamorous competition.

Kashyap hails from a very humble background, with his family indulging in scrap collection to earn their daily bread. He shares his house with eight other members. In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Ramji Kashyap shared his journey that led to him playing the sport he excels in.

“I come from a small village. There are nine people in my house. We earn our daily living by collecting scraps. In the fifth grade, I took admission in an English medium school. I met a couple of coaches who gave me plenty of practice in Kho Kho. They lauded my game and asked me to attend practice everyday.”

However, to add to his problems, the 19-year old's parents were against him playing kho kho. They wanted him to get a job, as in their view, a career in sports was financially unstable. Kashyap's support system was in the form of his siblings, who wholeheartedly backed him in his endeavor to earn a name for himself in the world of kho kho. Kashyap disclosed that his parents' views have now changed courtesy of Ultimate Kho Kho 2022.

“My parents did not support me. They asked me to look for a job as sports could not be a career. My brother and sister lent their entire support to me playing the sport, but my parents were against it. Now, after Ultimate Kho Kho, their view has changed.”

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"Now we have to practice even harder" - Ramji Kashyap on changes in preparation

Ramji Kashyap spoke about how the journey from sand to mat has brought about a change in the players' preparation. According to him, players have to focus a lot more on their fitness since the pace of the game has increased. He signed off by thanking Ultimate Kho Kho for providing facilities for the players to practice and improve their game.

“Now we have to practice even harder. We have to focus a lot on our fitness now since the game has gotten a lot quicker now. Ultimate Kho Kho has provided a plethora of quality facilities for us to practice and improve our game”

The Chennai Quick Guns' campaign ended on September 2, when they were knocked out by the Telugu Yoddhas in the Eliminator. However, they have had plenty of moments to cherish, especially the performance of Ramji Kashyap, who is currently the best attacker and the best defender in the league with an astonishing 108 attacking points and an astounding 21:48 minutes spent on the mat while defending.