By Utkarsh Rathour

Bellary (Karnataka) [India], April 1 (ANI): Indian kabaddi player Naveen Kumar has credited his family support as the primary motivation for his journey into the sport.

'Motivation, first of all, comes from the family's support. Whether the family wants us to study or not. To avoid studies, I got into sports because I was not that good at studies. My grandfather was the most supportive, but actually, the whole family has always been supportive. So, family is everything to me,' Naveen told ANI.

Naveen also praised the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) for preparing athletes and providing different facilities ahead of global events, including the Asian Games 2026.

'Playing for India is a very big platform. First of all, I want to thank Mashal, AKFI, and the IIS. I have been here before. The preparation here is of India-level or even Olympic-level. Every person here has different facilities. You don't have to go anywhere for your diet, rest, or nutrition. Everything is world-class,' Naveen said.

He added that the camp, which hosts around 45 boys and 45 girls, including young players like Kritika (15-16 years old), helps athletes learn fitness management, injury prevention, and recovery on mats, which are more prone to injuries than on soil surfaces.

'There are about 45 boys and 45 girls here, including some very young players like Kritika, who are just 15-16 years old. I think they are learning for the first time how to keep themselves fit and improve their fitness level, so they can continue to play for the country for a long time. Since we started playing on mats, injuries have increased compared to when we played on soil. So, they are teaching us how to take care of minor injuries and avoid them.'

Naveen also highlighted the value of senior-junior interaction, sharing insights on mistakes, fitness, and performance improvements, while building strong team bonding. 'We seniors and juniors learn a lot from each other, like what mistakes we make and how to improve. And of course, there's good bonding among the 45 kids who will be selected for the Indian team. We get to learn a lot from each other.'

Naveen stressed that his primary focus at the IIS high-performance camp is on fitness and mental preparedness, rather than adding new skills, ahead of the Asian Games 2026.

'Skills we have had from the beginning. The main thing is our fitness and our mindset. How we work out and how we can use it. Skills don't change that quickly; they remain the same. If we are fit, we can do anything. The main focus is to stay fit until the Asian Games,' Naveen told ANI.

He added, 'Apart from skills, we have to use them according to the team, like which defender does what and which skill to use against them. Every team and every corner has a different way of playing. So, the main focus is to stay fit until the Asian Games and bring home the gold for our country whenever we get the chance.'

Earlier, the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), in collaboration with Mashal Sports, started a high-performance Strength and Conditioning Camp at the IIS.

The camp is scheduled from March 27 to April 2, where the country's leading men's and women's kabaddi probable athletes will be together for preparation for the Asian Games 2026.

This initiative reinforces Mashal Sports and AKFI's shared commitment to the holistic development and well-being of kabaddi athletes, while continuing to build a strong pipeline of talent for India ahead of major international competitions, including the Asian Games. (ANI)