One man’s extraordinary vision to bring kabaddi to the UK teamed with decades of selflessness have brought the World Cup to the Midlands. Funding and support has happened relatively recently but for decades Ashok Das was going it alone
Anyone of a certain age might remember the randomness of Channel 4 televising kabaddi in the Nineties. I had no idea of the rules of the sport, but it was captivating, nonetheless. A sort of wrestling with rhythmic chanting. The president of World Kabaddi, Brum’s own Ashok Das has worked tirelessly – a phrase wildly overused but in this case totally accurate – to make kabaddi accessible in this country and beyond, culminating in this year’s Kabaddi World Cup coming to the region. It’s the first time the tournament has been held outside Asia and with support from the region’s mayor, Richard Parker and the West Midlands Growth Company, it’s happening.
To understand how this has come about, you have to understand Ashok’s drive and passion. Ashok grew up playing kabaddi in India before moving to Birmingham where he’s lived since 1986. Keen to give back to his community, Ashok wanted to boost kabaddi and give the community their own sport – something to be proud of. His wife, a black belt in karate, has supported Ashok in his decades long quest emotionally and ultimately, financially allowing her husband to focus on his dream. Ashok applied for Sport England funding for 15 years on the bounce but was unsuccessful. A sports charity called Sport Equal came on board three years ago which has helped.
Before his retirement from Birmingham City Council, Ashok spent years juggling the day job in pest control with kabaddi. Among many other things, Ashok made a documentary to boost engagement with a £5,000 loan from Barclays. He then launched an England team and took them to Mumbai to compete in 2004. He approached the British army about starting kabaddi training for soldiers. He showed a colonel the film he’d made, and the colonel agreed the sport would be good for soldiers.
They couldn’t pay Ashok, but he agreed to train them. For two evenings a week he travelled to train the soldiers after work and eventually launched a British army team that also competed in Mumbai. He launched the first women’s team in the UK and started approaching universities and colleges about running kabaddi clubs, again with zero funding.
BIG DREAMS
It wasn’t enough to grow the sport in the UK – Ashok was keen to boost kabaddi further. Every Friday Ashok would drive from Birmingham to Luton, jump on a flight to Italy, run training sessions and fly back late on Sunday ready for work the next day. Holidays were spent in countries where Ashok was trying to grow the sport such as Poland and Holland among others.
Ashok says kabaddi is an affordable sport – parents can send their children without worrying about money, they don’t need any kit, it’s inclusive and he was determined to get a league up and running. True to form, one team grew to over 10 clubs and now 100 players compete in the sport. Two years ago, just before his sixtieth birthday, Ashok sat down with his wife and sons and explained that the best present would be to retire. He says everyday was stressful and he was never appreciated at work. Ashok’s wife told him to leave his job and fulfil his dream and he’s been focused on kabaddi since.
When Joel Lavery, strategic lead of major sporting events at the West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC), approached him to meet up and discuss the sport’s future, it was a watershed moment that made Ashok’s dreams closer. Thanks to the Commonwealth Legacy fund, WMGC has been able to invest £500,000 in the Kabaddi World Cup coming to the region.
Joel says: “It is a massive honour and very exciting to welcome the first Kabaddi World Cup to ever be held outside Asia. This tournament promises to have a tremendous impact on the growth of kabaddi, bringing the West Midlands’ diverse communities centre stage.”
I feel like we can learn a lot from Ashok. We asked him how he kept going when no one other than his family believed in him. He says: “You have to make people believe in you. Never give up.” Ashok wakes up thankful everyday and credits meditation and faith with keeping him calm and positive. He says: “When I’m sleeping, I don’t know if I’ll wake, so every morning I thank my guru for another day.” There’s a lesson for us all in there somewhere. Be more Ashok.