Sukesh Hegde, an Indian kabaddi professional, has competed for teams including Telugu Titans, Gujrat Giants, Tamil Thalaivas, Bengal Warriors, and Patna Pirates.
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Wiki/Biography
Sukesh Hegde was born on Monday, October 2, 1989 (34 years old; as of 2023) in Kadthala village, Karkal taluka, Karnataka, India. His zodiac sign is Libra. He graduated from Alva’s College, Moodbidri. He started playing kabaddi during primary school in his hometown, progressing from the school’s athletic team to eventually joining the Kabaddi team.
An old picture of Sukesh Hegde in his late teens
Physical Appearance
Height: 5′ 11″
Weight (approx.): 82 kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Body Measurements (approx.): Chest: 42”; Waist: 34”; Biceps: 15”
Family
He belongs to a Kannada family.
Parents & Siblings
There is not enough information about his parents and siblings.
Sukesh Hegde’s mother
Wife & Children
Sukesh Hegde got married on April 25, 2022, to Krithika Hegde, an electronics and computer engineer.
Sukesh Hegde and his wife on their wedding
Religion
Sukesh Hegde follows Hinduism.
Sukesh Hegde in front of a temple
Career
National Career:
Sukesh Hegde started his journey with the Karnataka team in 2013, where he remained for more than 8 years. Joining the Indian camp for Pro Kabaddi League training in 2014, he also contributed to the national team’s victory, securing a bronze medal at the 65th Senior National Kabaddi Championship in 2017.
Sukesh Hegde’s post about winning the 65th Senior Nation Kabaddi Championship
Pro Kabaddi League:
In the inaugural 2014 Pro Kabaddi League season, Sukesh Hegde was selected by Telugu Titans. Notably, he achieved his highest raid score ever in the league, accumulating 79 raid points and 4 tackle points across 14 matches, including 3 Super Raids. He continued with Telugu Titans for the next four seasons. In the second season, he earned 62 raid points and 2 tackle points across 13 matches, achieving 5 Super Raids. His performance dropped in the fourth season, yielding a mere 7 raid points in 9 matches.
Sukesh Hegde playing for Telegu Titans
Moving on to the fifth season, he joined Gujarat Fortune Giants in 2017 as captain. Remarkably, he earned 75 raid points and 2 tackle points in 18 matches. Subsequently, he was acquired by Tamil Thalaivas for the sixth season in 2018, achieving 78 raid points and 3 tackle points in 16 matches.
Sukesh Hegde wearing the jersey of Tamil Thalaivas
Joining Bengal Warriors for the seventh season in 2019, he achieved 63 points over 16 matches. In the eighth season, still with Bengal Warriors, he secured 58 raid points and 2 super raids in 15 matches.
Sukesh Hegde playing for the Bengal Warriors
In his ninth season, he was chosen by Patna Pirates.
International Career:
Sukesh Hegde was a part of the Indian team’s victory, securing a gold medal at the 12th South Asian Games held in Guwahati and Shillong, in 2016.
Sukesh Hegde with his team in the 2016 South Asian Games
Awards, Honours & Achievements
Award
- Karnataka State Ekalavya Award
Sukesh Hegde posing with his award
Honours
- Honoured by Karnataka Government in Karkala Ustava 2022.
Achievements
- Pro Kabaddi League title (2019) – Bengal Warriors.
Medals
- South Asian Games 2016 (Gold)
Car Collection
Sukesh Hegde owns Maruti Suzuki Brezza.
Sukesh Hegde’s car
Salary
As of 2021, Sukesh Hegde was auctioned for INR 30 Lakhs.
Favourites
Kabaddi Player: Sanjeev Kumar Baliyan
Actor: Aamir Khan
PKL Game: Season 7 semi-finals and finals
Number: 07
Facts/Trivia
- Sukesh Hegde, in addition to playing professional Kabaddi, also works at the Bank of Baroda.
Sukesh Hegde with his colleagues at Bank of Baroda
- In an interview, he once mentioned that the limited popularity of kabaddi in the southern region of India is because of the absence of academies and training centers in rural areas. The coming of South Indian players in the Pro Kabaddi League has spurred youth’s interest despite initial challenges.
- During his university years, Sukesh’s dedication led him to practice three times daily, aiming to be better than his senior players. Because the senior did not let juniors play with them, he used to play for 4-5 hours daily to be able to compete with them.
- Sukesh regards Manjeet Chillar as the most challenging defender he faced in the PKL matches.
- Looking back at his kabaddi journey, he described a challenging moment during the Season 5 finals for Gujarat Fortune Giants when he was benched by the coach just after a few raids. He revealed that he was quite upset about this decision of not letting him play.
- Post his playing career, Sukesh wants to coach and inspire Indian youth in the sport of kabaddi.
- In a conversation about his perfect Dream Team, he said he would choose players like Fazel and Ravinder Pahal in corners, along with Sunil, Parvesh, and Mohammad Esmaeil Nabibakhsh.
- Notably, both Sukesh and his wife Krithika are alumni of Alva’s College, Moodbidri.
- Sukesh is fluent in three languages: Kannada, English, and Hindi.
- The raider has a love for animals and often posts pictures feeding the street animals too. He also owns a Husky.
Sukesh Hegde walking his pet dog
- Sukesh has a lot of hobbies which include painting, photography, swimming, and going to the gym to maintain his fitness levels. He also focuses on his mental health by doing yoga. He is very focused on his overall health.
Sukesh Hegde while doing yoga
Sukesh working out in the gym
- Sukesh maintains a disciplined diet, avoiding fried and carb-rich foods, considering it important for good health and a long-lasting career, especially in sports.
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn