User:Vishalsharma123/sandbox

RAJU BHAVSAR an arjuna awardee winner in 1996..(“Had it not been for PKL, we wouldn’t have seen top kabaddi players signing autographs or clicking selfies with fans at airports and other public places,” said Bhavsar, a former Asian Games gold medallist, in a function to mark the World Sports Journalists Day on Saturday.

The function was organised by the Sports Journalists’ Association of Mumbai.

Bhavsar cited his example upon returning from the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing, where kabaddi was included for the first time.

“We won the gold medal and that was India’s only gold medal from the Games, so when we arrived at the Delhi airport, we anticipated a hero’s welcome,” said Bhavsar, now an expert with STAR India, the promoters and broadcasters of PKL.

''“But there was not a single person to receive us. No one from the Olympic association; no one from the federation; not a single journalist; even the custom officials asked up to open our bags for a check. With medals wrapped around our necks, all of us got out of the airport, took autos to train terminus and headed home.”''

''Bhavsar foresees the PKL, now into the fourth edition, will spread like wildfire not just in India but across the globe. “Too bold a prediction to make but I believe in the next 20 years, ProKabaddi League will be on the same level as NBA in terms of popularity and reach. Like IPL, ProKabaddi League has a great future,” he said.'')