Pratik Kiran Waikar (born 27 March 1992)[1] is an Indian kho kho player from Maharashtra.[2] He plays for the India men's national kho kho team as a wazir.[3] He captained the Indian men’s team that won the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup held at New Delhi in January 2025.[4] He plays for Telugu Yoddhas in Ultimate Kho Kho, a franchise based league tournament.[5]
Early life[edit | edit source]
Waikar is from Sadhashiv Peth, Pune, Maharashtra.[1] He works as a senior technician with the Maharashtra State Electricity Board. He started playing kho kho when he was eight.[2][4] He completed his BSc and later did MBA in finance.[6]
Career[edit | edit source]
Waikar made his India debut and has been representing the Indian team since 2016, when the Indian team won the South Asian Games gold medal.[2][7]
In January 2025, he captained the Indian team that won the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup at New Delhi.[8] The Indian team were placed in Group A and defeated Nepal, Brazil, Peru and Bhutan in the group stages. In the quarterfinals, India defeated Sri Lanka and beat South Africa in the semifinals.[9] In the finals, India defeated Nepal 54-36 to lift their maiden World Cup.[9]
Domestic career[edit | edit source]
In 2003, he played for Maharashtra in the under-13 Nationals. As part of the Maharashtra team, he won two bronze medals in the sub-junior national and a gold medal in the Junior Nationals. He won three gold and seven silver medals in the Senior National Kho Kho Championships.[10]
Awards[edit | edit source]
- Waikar received the Ekalavya Award in 2019.[6]
- He received Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje award in Maharashtra in 2021.[6]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://mkka.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/50_senior_national_campionship_2016-17.pdf Page 7 player list with DoB
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Krishnan, Vivek (9 January 2025). "Waikar to lead Indian men's team in Kho Kho WC". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ↑ "Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) - KKFI Official Website". Kho Kho Federation. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Two good at kho-kho World Cup: Pune's Waikar leads men's kho kho team to glory, his kin coach of winning women's squad". The Indian Express. 21 January 2025. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ↑ "Pratik Kiran Waikar Profile 294". Ultimate Kho Kho. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Player Name | Telugu Yoddhas | Ultimate Kho Kho team". www.gmrsports.in. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ↑ Nalwala, Ali Asgar (12 January 2025). "Kho Kho World Cup 2025: Historic edition to unfold in New Delhi - India squads, where to watch live". Olympics.com. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ↑ "India Women's Captain Priyanka Ingle Gears Up For Kho Kho World Cup | Other Sports News". NDTVSports.com. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Kho Kho World Cup: Indian men's team crowned champion". The Times of India. 20 January 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ↑ khokhochampions (27 August 2024). "MEET CAPTAIN COOL OF KHO KHO - Mr. PRATIK WAIKAR". KHO KHO CHAMPIONS. Retrieved 16 March 2025.