This Karimnagar lad, Naveen’s journey defies all odds in kho kho

Despite hailing from a beedi worker’s family in Karimnagar, V Naveen Kumar has emerged as yet another shining example of a wonderful trend of sports in the State

Hyderabad: Sports never cease to surprise in Telangana!

Especially, in terms of producing some outstanding talent from relatively obscure backgrounds, from where not many might expect a star to be born and, more importantly, live up to the reputation.

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And, V Naveen Kumar has emerged as yet another shining example of this wonderful trend in the State, as despite hailing from a beedi worker’s family, he transgressed all the barriers to not only represent India, get a Government job, but earn a Doctorate in Physical Education from Osmania University.

The 34-year-old Naveen, who hails from Karimnagar, got hooked on to kho kho when he was in the seventh standard and never really let the financial hardship deter him from pursuing his passion, and he represented the State in six Senior National Championships. A gold for India against England in the 2017 Kho Kho Test series in Mumbai later earned him a job in the Indian Army and then a Physical Education Teacher in a Government School.

“It was never easy for me to continue playing Kho Kho. Sometimes, we did not have enough to fend for our family of five, but I continued to play, and it is because of Kho Kho that I have been able to carve my own destiny,” Naveen said. “Now, I teach Kho Kho to school students, and there is a lot of interest among youngsters after the World Cup 2025,” he said.

The indefatigable champion earned a Doctorate for his research titled ‘Effect of Interval Training on Physical Fitness and Physiological Variables among Kho Kho Players of Telangana State,’ and advocates how modern sports science can be applied to traditional sports to improve performance and understanding.

Naveen believes that such integration benefits not only athletes but also fields like psychology, physiology, and sports medicine. “Studying indigenous sports like Kho Kho gives new insights that could prove transformative in the field of sports,” he said.

Kho Kho Federation of India President Sudhanshu Mittal hailed Naveen’s achievements and said that his success story truly reflected determination and fortitude. “ It is good that it is a subject of research and doctoral study, and this is an inspiration for our players — that they can excel not only in sport but also in academics,” he said.