Aniket Pote is currently one of the best players in the going Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), with three individual awards (Defender of the Match v Mumbai Khiladis, Ultimate Kho of the Match v Mumbai Khiladis and Ultimate Kho of the Match v Odisha Juggernauts) in his first three matches for Gujarat Giants so far.
Unfortunately, one of his biggest admirers, his father, Bhagwan, is not around to see his son`s heroics each night on TV.
“My father passed away on May 3, just around three months before UKK [August 14 to September 4]. He succumbed to throat cancer after a two-year battle. He was a big fan of my game and always wished that one day he could watch me play on TV. I feel terrible that he ultimately couldn`t, but I`m sure he will be smiling down upon me from the Heavens,” Pote, who plays at the club level for Mahatma Gandhi Sports Academy in Bandra East, tells mid-day.
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The father and son shared a hot and cold relationship. “My father was a BEST bus driver. He had a severe drinking problem. We fought over it a lot, but he never gave up his alcohol. Having said that, he was always the first to look out for my name in the newspapers after a major kho kho competition. He would cut out those newspaper clippings and show it to his friends.
Aniket Pote with his parents, late father Bhagwan and mother Chhaya
I remember once when I was returning after winning a kho kho series in London, he organised a huge victory rally for me near our home and promised me that he would not drink as he wanted to celebrate my success sober. He kept that promise. That`s how much he loved my kho kho,” added Pote, who hails from a very humble background and is hoping that UKK can turn around his family`s fortunes.
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“We had to spend a lot of money on my father`s treatment. We also have a house rent to pay. So, almost all our savings have been wiped out. But UKK couldn`t have come at a better time. Though I did not get a favourable draft this time—I got into the `D` category—I`m sure if I do well this season and UKK is a success with the TV audience and fans, I will make it to the `A` category [player salary is Rs 5 lakh] next year. I want to ensure that my mother [Chhaya] has a comfortable life. I`m sure my father will also have expected that from me,” he signed off.