From being snubbed by state team to playing in PKL - Ravi Bhati's story of Josh, Jazba, Junoon

Haridwar (Uttarakhand) [India], April 6 (ANI): Ravi Bhati, hailing from a village in Greater Noida, was the first player from the town to play Kabaddi. He began his kabaddi journey in 2019 at JD Academy under the guidance of Coach Jitendra Nagar. Initially, Ravi did not have his family's approval to pursue a career in Kabaddi, but his grit and determination to succeed in the sport ultimately helped him convince his parents.
"My family did not support my desire to play kabaddi and wanted me to focus on my studies. Once I started playing regularly at school, I explained to my parents that my passion lies in kabaddi, and I couldn't dedicate much time to studying. After extensive discussions, they agreed," he explained how he convinced his parents to understand his love for kabaddi on the sidelines recently concluded Yuva All Stars Championship 2025.
Ravi Bhati has never missed school or skipped classes to play kabaddi, as he never wanted to upset his parents, who supported his passion for the sport. He aimed to continue his studies while also focusing on building a career in Kabaddi. However, the 23-year-old player would spend every Sunday playing kabaddi all day, from early morning until around 10 pm at night.
"My mother would scold me for being outside the house all Sunday and returning only late at night," he said.
Ravi played his first match in the Yuva Kabaddi Series for Panchala Pride during the Summer Edition in 2022. He finished the season with 22 points from seven matches. When asked about his experience of playing in the YKS for the first time, he said: "When I came to the Yuva Kabaddi for the first time, I felt a bit hesitant to play under lights and camera."
The young Indian Kabaddi player was part of Vijayanagara Veers in Monsoon Edition 2022 before joining the Periyar Panthers for Winter Edition 2022 and Monsoon Edition 2023. In the recently concluded Yuva All Stars Championship 2025 in Hardiwar, Ravi Bhati plied his trade for Yuva Yoddhas and finished the season with 74 tackle points from 21 matches.
The Uttar Pradesh-born player went through a rough patch when he was not selected for the state team competing at the Senior Nationals. "I was performing very well and was hoping to get selected for the nationals but when I didn't see my name on the list, I felt very sad and lost hope," a sad Ravi said.
Ravi Bhati has played one match in the Pro Kabaddi League for UP Yoddhas during PKL Season 11. The Yuva Kabaddi Series played a big role in Ravi's career as it provided him the opportunity to showcase his skills on the big stage.
"Yuva Kabaddi played a big role in helping me get selected for the Pro Kabaddi League. I remember coaches from multiple teams used to come and watch me and other players play in the Yuva Kabaddi Series," Ravi Bhati recalled with a smile.
The recently concluded Yuva All Stars Championship 2025 was won by Jaipur Pink Cubs. The side defeated Yuva Yoddhas 35-29 in the final to lift the title in the inaugural edition of the tournament. (ANI)