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From the playgrounds of his school to the mats of the Kho Kho World Cup, the exuberant Tamilian shares a peek behind the curtains in an exclusive interaction with News18 Sports.
Subramani V (L) of India receiving his Best Attacker of the match Award (X)
Sometimes the star does not find the sport nor does the sport find them. Rather, they serendipitously stumble upon it. Take the case of India’s Kho Kho sensation, Subramani V. The youngster started playing the game of Kho Kho only because his brother, who he looked up to fondly, played the same.
India will be thankful nonetheless, as the wily attacker continues to impress on the biggest stage of them all, becoming a proponent behind India’s success in the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup so far – success that has landed the hosts in a semi-final match-up against dark horse South Africa.
His fearless play on the mat, coupled with his warm embracing nature off it, makes for a refreshing persona – one who isn’t revered for merely his sensational play, but for also reminding us all that at the heart of every sports fanatic lies a joyous little kid who loved playing because he could.
Hailing from Ramanathapuram, and having lived his life in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu – a state where the game of Kho Kho is played across all age levels as a recess sport – it wasn’t an instant love affair with Kho Kho for Subramani. The ace attacker wasn’t even invested in the sport till the sixth grade, when his brother, Saravanan, finally enrolled him in the same – a decision that would result in the development of a sensational talent who found success early.
“I started playing Kho Kho in the sixth grade. I started playing solely because of my brother, Saravanan. He was the one who enrolled me in the sport initially,” stated a coy Subramani in an exclusive interaction with News18 Sports.
“I qualified for my first Nationals when I was in the eighth grade. When I finally made it there, after having only played in school tournaments previously, there was quite a bit of self-doubt and nerves. But I knew I had the desire to not only play but to play the way I wanted to. So I stuck to my guts and delivered.”
“But, I still cannot believe that the World Cup has happened and I am here, standing and playing for my country at this level. Much credit needs to go to my coaches and my family, especially my brother. I cannot forget to mention my Tamil Nadu State Coaches Nelson Sir and my college KG College as well. They all supported me a lot, no matter what level I was playing at.”
But the journey to glory was not smooth sailing for the young Tamilian. The ugly reality of life that exists in sports in this country, or rather any aspect of life, is that one will be met with countless obstacles by those in power. In those moments, one can’t do much else except persist.
“There were challenges when I was coming up in Coimbatore. Certain forces were in play that restricted my chances at a period in my life. To be honest, that was the reason why I couldn’t play in the Nationals for four years after eighth grade. I never played in the Sub-Junior or Junior Nationals or Khelo India for certain reasons. It was painful because I used to see the tryouts happen right next to where I was training. But, the sense of defeat in knowing that I couldn’t be selected used to hurt me.”
Sometimes the challenge arises from within the household itself. It sure did for the young Indian attacker from his parents – his father, a lorry driver, and his mother, a daily wage worker – who were apprehensive of his ambitions.
“In all honesty, initially, even my family was not extremely supportive of me playing. My mother and father especially were against me playing. But my biggest supporter, my grandmother, used to tell me “You go play your heart out, I’ll take care of everything else here. If anyone dares to question you, don’t you fret. I know you’re destined for greatness”. I can and never will forget her and her support which has gotten me so far.”
And persist he did, as Subramani rose above the challenges and came into his own when he joined college, PSG College of Arts and Science in Coimbatore, for his Bachelor’s degree in Tamil.
“Four other of my friends, along with myself, made the Nationals continuously for four years in a row. Then, a couple of years back, we got the call-up to come and try out at the Ultimate Kho Kho trials here in New Delhi. We all ensured that we gave it our best shot and we triumphed here in Delhi and at the trials in Pune as well. Next thing you know, I made the C group for Yoddhas. Then, in the following year, I made the B group for the Giants. So there was consistent growth taking place.”
The advent of Ultimate Kho Kho proved to be the turning point in his professional career. Subramani was a part of the Telugu Yoddhas during the inaugural season in 2022, where his team lost the final by a solitary point against the Odisha Juggernauts. Cut to the last quarter of 2023. Subramani was picked by the Giants in the draft and went on to eventually lift the trophy that he missed by a whisker last time round.
One thing led to the other, and lo and behold, the young Subramani now represents his nation at the biggest event of his life so far – the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup where India continues to dominate their opposition with ease, stamping their ticket to the semi-final.
But for Subramani, victory isn’t mere silverware. It is multi-fold, and one huge victory that the Tamilian has perceived and cherished so far has been that of sharing the joy and spirit of his beloved game of Kho Kho with players from all over the globe.
“Kho Kho is immensely popular here in India. But, that is not the case in countries outside of India. So our goal wasn’t just to shine, but also to try and uplift the others and their game with our own. That drives us,” said Subramani with humility beyond his years.
“The most heartwarming gesture is when many teams, after our matches, come up to us to shake our hands and thank us for playing our game against them. Let’s be honest, when we win by 100-150 points and they score merely 10-20, it’s going to be highly demotivating personally for them at some level. Still, so many of them have shown their gratitude towards us for having played our best game against them. Today, there was a player from Sri Lanka who did the same to me, and yesterday as well, the Bhutan team was so grateful and kind to us afterwards.
“I even had someone from England yesterday, Vignesh, their coach, who is also rooted in Coimbatore, who thanked us. He told me that even people who work at the British High Commission here in Delhi watch the games and enjoy them thoroughly. So, yes. I firmly believe that the Kho Kho World Cup is a wonderful tool for spreading the game worldwide.”
It isn’t merely Subramani’s tale but his infectiously joyous self that serves as a much-needed refreshing reminder to never let go of the kid in us who fell in love with sport. To never let life beat out the child-like wonder and joy we find in those moments when we are merely one with the game.
“It is unreal to think about the support I get now. There used to be a time when my father would hound me, asking me where I was going, and what I was up to. But now, the tables have flipped. Now, in a surprisingly sweet twist of fate, he pesters me when I am lazing and not practicing. He constantly keeps asking me, “Why are you here at home? Aren’t you supposed to be at practice?” Even my mother and brother do the same, they scold me if they see me not working towards my game or practicing.
“Life has a funny way of panning out,” exclaimed Subramani with a hearty laugh.
It sure does. And we, the spectators, are left all the more thankful it did for the radiant soul that Subramani is.
