NEWS
Most of us live such sheltered lives, that we can never imagine the setbacks people face. Each person has two choices in life- to settle for mediocrity or to aim for more. Of course, there isn’t anything wrong in either option, but it is when we are at our lowest that we actually make this decision. Surrounded by unscalable obstacles, it is always easier to give up on a dream… but sometimes, the dreams are so powerful that every obstacle disappears by itself!
Such has been the case of kabaddi player Deepak Niwas Hooda, who at a very young age, conquered multiple demons to do what he does best, play kabaddi.
Dealing with personal losses is always much more difficult than professional ones, but Hooda was determined.
The youngster from Rohtak is truly an inspiration and his life story needs to reach millions.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Deepak Niwas Hooda |
| Age | 25 years |
| Sport Category | Kabaddi (All-rounder) |
| Date of Birth | 10 June 1994 |
| Hometown | Rohtak, Haryana |
| Height | 5.9 ft |
| Weight | 80 kg |
| Parent | Ram Niwas |
| Teams Played for | Indian National Kabaddi Team, Telugu Titans, Puneri Paltan, Jaipur Pink Panthers |
Deepak was born and raised in Chamaria village in Rohtak, Haryana. He lost his mother when he was just four years old. His father and elder sister raised him. Unfortunately, tragedy struck once again when he had hardly become a teenager. Hooda lost his father as well in 2013.
Coming from a humble family, Hooda didn’t have financial backup and had to start working to support himself. Hooda had to discontinue his school and started working as a teacher. He played kabaddi in evenings. Those years were hard, but the young lad was determined.
“I developed an interest in kabaddi since it was an avenue to earn money for my sister and her kids,” narrated Hooda in an exclusive interview with prokabaddi.com.
“I thought that if I can get a job in the sport, I will be able to give them a better life. Though I was young, I put my heart into it. The circumstances had made me grow up.”
He wanted to pursue graduation as well. As soon as things settled a bit, he took up a university course. It was during this phase that he truly shone. Hooda began displaying his immense talent at the university level. He won the gold medal at the All-India University tournament. He was a part of the Haryana team that bagged gold at the Senior National level tournament in Patna in 2014.
The bond Deepak Hooda shares with his sister have consistently been his biggest strength. Losing their parents at such an early age, the siblings have always had each other’s’ back. Even today, Hooda celebrates every milestone with her.
After being signed on by the Jaipur franchise for a record amount in PKL, he was ecstatic and quoted by New Indian Express as-
“I am going to go home as fast as possible to celebrate this incredible day with my sister and her children. I do take care of them, so I will be spending some amount for their education and welfare.”
Hooda couldn’t have had a better start to his career. He made his Indian team debut at the South Asian Games 2016 and went on to have his golden moment by winning the gold medal.
He was also positive about a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games as well.
“There’s no lack of quality in the team’s defence. Players come and go, but the team remains the same. Today, I’m a part of the team. But tomorrow, perhaps some younger player will take my place. All we want to do is to win gold for India at the Asian Games.”
Unfortunately, the team had to settle for a bronze.
An integral part of the team, Hooda takes dual roles for National duty. He practices with the raiders as well as defenders. So national camps turn out to be very hectic for the talented all-rounder.
When Pro Kabaddi League began in 2014, Hooda received the second highest bid of 12.6 lakh rupees by Telugu Titans. After playing with them for two seasons, in 2016 he joined Puneri Paltan. In the third season of the league, he was finally able to be a part of a team that got a podium finish.
Then he was signed by the Jaipur Panthers for a stunning amount of Rs. 1.15 crore
Overview
Matches Played: 103 || Points: 785 || Career Best Points: 20 || Not Out Percentage: 81.24
| Year | Place | Event | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Ahmedabad, India | Team | Gold |
| Year | Place | Event | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Team | Bronze |
| Year | Place | Event | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Gorgan, Iran | Team | Gold |
| Year | Place | Event | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Dubai, UAE | Team | Gold |
| Year | Place | Event | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Guwahati, India | Team | Gold |
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