Karimnagar’s Eslavath Naresh lives his dream through Indian Women’s Kho Kho World Cup victory

Karimnagar’s Eslavath Naresh lives his dream through Indian Women’s Kho Kho World Cup victory

For someone who never played an international since India didn’t host any events during his playing days for 16 years, it was a “different and immensely satisfying” experience when Eslavath Naresh mentored the Indian women’s team to World Cup kho kho triumph in Delhi on Sunday.

“The World Cup win is my most memorable moment for sure. A victory which should change the contours of the sport itself in India,” said a visibly delighted India coach Naresh in an exclusive chat with Sportstar on Monday.

“We picked the best squad from the 60 probables who attended a one-month-long camp in Delhi before the World Cup. It would be unfair to name a few individuals as it was a complete team effort,” said the 42-year-old Indian Railways coach, whose parents were farmers.

Hailing from a relatively obscure tanda near Peddapalli, Naresh who led the then combined Andhra Pradesh to its first medal (a bronze for men) in the 2002 Senior nationals, Naresh is pleased with the way the current players are getting exposure at different levels.

“At the State-level, the Chief Minister’s Cup is a huge platform for rural talent. I strongly believe that this World Cup win should only take what is a truly indigenous sport to the next level as the victory also means a lot of job opportunities for the players,” Naresh said.

The South Central Railway employee, credited with guiding Indian Railways to its first gold in the Senior Nationals, feels that what kho kho now badly needs is a ‘Club Culture’ and more schools taking it up in their curriculum for it doesn’t require any infrastructure to make it more popular and lucrative.

“Once the boys and girls feel there is a future for the performers in the sport, it will be a totally different scenario,” he said.

“Never did I feel inferior for taking up the sport. It is sheer passion that kept me going and I am grateful to my first coach K. Sadanandam (a PE Teacher) at Husnabad Social Welfare Residential School in 1995.

“The kho kho fraternity is eagerly awaiting to see the sport being included in the Asian Games and the Olympics. Wish it happens,” he signed off.