Dr Hiren Pathak, Kenyan Kho Kho player, physician, talks about growth of sport in African nation

A practicing physician for three years, Dr Hiren moved to the African nation over two decades ago when his father secured employment there.

A sports enthusiast, Dr Hiren credits the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) in Kenya for promoting indigenous sports in the African country. "I became involved with Kho Kho 20 years ago when we moved to Kenya. The Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh provides practice areas and support for many Indian sports," he explained as quoted by a Kho Kho World Cup press release.

"We play Kabaddi, practice Dand (traditional Indian exercise), and engage in many activities that originated in India. Though we did not have formal tournaments, we played Kho Kho at least once a week," he said.

Kho Kho was formally introduced to Kenya in 2020, gaining a structured framework. The country's system of counties helps scouts identify promising athletes and players.

"Players were identified from different counties for team selection," Dr Hiren explains.

"Small clubs are now emerging and adopting Kho Kho, which will contribute to the sport's growth in the country," he added.

Dr Hiren commends the efforts of the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) and the International Kho Kho Federation (IKKF) for organizing this multi-nation competition.

"Participating in the World Cup has been an incredible experience. This is the first-ever Kho Kho World Cup, and we're delighted to be part of it. The experience has been extraordinary," Dr Hiren said.

The World Cup has proven to be a blockbuster event, bringing together athletes from various countries to celebrate Kho Kho. The tournament, which started on January 13, will take place till January 19. Kenya is in second place in both men's Group D and women's Group B in the competition. While the men's team registered a 23-64 loss to England in their recent match, the women's team defeated Australia 73-14 in their most recent outing. (ANI)