I shared a mother-child bond with the students: Kavitha Selvaraj
The 2010 Asian Games gold medallist, who flew back from Delhi after receiving the National Award from the President, had just about five days with the team before the inaugural contest on Thursday.
Kavitha Selvaraj (right) speaks to a Tamil Nadu player during the match against Haryana
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu women’s Kabaddi team did not have the start that Dhyan Chand Awardee Kavitha Selvaraj would have wished for, as it went down to defending champions Haryana 20–41.
The 2010 Asian Games gold medallist, who flew back from Delhi after receiving the National Award from the President, had just about five days with the team before the inaugural contest on Thursday. Speaking to DT Next after the match, she expressed happiness about coaching the Tamil Nadu team but regretted not having enough time with the players. “I’m really happy; it’s the first time I coached a Tamil Nadu team. The only disappointment I have is that I’ve not been able to spend much time with the girls yet.”
Despite being outrun for most of the match, Kavitha kept on rallying the team, which helped Tamil Nadu win a few points. “The Haryana squad has players with a really good physique. Our players need to improve a lot.” She opined that losing the first game would serve as a learning curve, stating, “Our players need to adapt to the surroundings and build confidence going into the next match against Telangana.” A sight that turned heads was when every player, regardless of team or gender, approached Kavitha, touched her feet, and sought her blessings. “Most of the players you see here were my students at the Kabaddi camps in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.” Gandhinagar served as the National centre for Kabaddi, and Kavitha’s students, who were much younger then, formed a bond with her. This affection was evident every time a player crossed her, seeking her blessings and discussing their game.
“Players used to come from different states, and when it came to me, it was always a mother-child kind of affection. I always show them that love and, of course, be strict when needed. It makes me very proud to see them growing up the ranks,” she added.
RESULTS:(Girls U-18) Haryana bt. Tamil Nadu 41-20, Bihar bt. West Bengal 35-19 (Boys U-18) Rajasthan bt. Madhya Pradesh 58-23, Haryana bt. Tamil Nadu 44-29