Of resilience, teaching, and motherhood: The making of Pro Kabaddi League referee Sandhiya MK
Sandhiya MK dons three hats: of a teacher, of a Pro Kabaddi League referee, and of a mother.
When not on the PKL mat as a match official, Sandhiya—born in Tamil Nadu— can be found at Vellore's Springdays School carrying out the role of a physical education teacher (PT).
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“4 years ago, we moved back to Vellore because my mother wasn’t well and I needed to take care of her. When I was in Chennai, I was working and when I got back to my native place, I needed to get work. That’s when I decided to take up the role at the school,” she said.
Having been a student her whole life, it was only natural for her to give back to society as an educator.
In an exclusive interview with the Hindustan Times, Sandhiya MK dwelled on her start-stop career in kabaddi, personal struggles, and displaying incredible resilience to make a name for herself.
-A FAMILY WHERE KABADDI RUNS IN THE BLOOD-
The inception of Sandhiya's interest in the sport can be traced back to standard 8. Born in a family with three sisters, all of whom play kabaddi, a young Sandhiya was left mesmerised by her seniors.
"One day, I saw them play in school. When I asked them if I could play, they told me that I am too young and that I should try next year.
Then, I went to my PT teacher and asked for a chance. She conducted my trials and managed to impress her. As a result, she selected me for zonal matches," said Sandhiya.
After finishing school life, she joined the kabaddi team in college where her coach Bharati trained me. In 2007, all-rounder Sandhiya played the sub-junior nationals before going on to play the nationals in 2008.
-LOVE MARRIAGE, GIVING BIRTH, COMEBACK-
The next few years were riddled with turmoil for Sandhiya. In the second year of college, the 31-year-old got married to the love of her life, Kanthiravan. However, it was not a rosy event for everyone.
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"I had to leave home as one in the family supported my marriage. We moved to Chennai for 8 years after marriage.
A year later, I gave birth to my son after which I told my husband that I want to get back to playing," elaborated Sandhiya.
-BACKBONE OF THE PUREST FORM-
Being an all-rounder, Sandhiya needed every aspect of her game to peak again after a three-year hiatus. Her husband, who is also a national kabaddi player and a juice factory worker, took the onus into his own hands to train her. Apart from playing, Kanthiravan also encouraged Sandhiya to complete her education.
“He helped me train everyday between 5 and 6:30 am. Then we’d go to work and after coming back at 5:30, we would practice again. We did this for 6 months and also played some local and state tournaments. In 2015, I made the women’s nationals team,” Sandhiya detailed.
She added: “he structured a full diet for me. He gave me more exercises in the morning to increase my fitness. Naturally, my speed decreased after giving birth. He would often push me and even scold me. It was not at all easy at first and I wasn’t able to do it initially but he kept pushing me.”
Sandhiya aced it on and off the field as she ended up with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in history, a Bachelor of Physical Education (B.P.Ed) degree, and a Postgraduate (PG) Diploma in Yoga.
-SOCIETAL PRESSURE LEADS HER TO OFFICIATING-
“2015 was the last time I played. Everyone was complaining that my son is alone and that I was neglecting him. That’s when my husband suggested that I write the referee’s exam. I passed the AKFI (Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India)) exam and a year later, I started officiating in the state and district level matches, inter-zone and All-India matches,” explained Sandhiya when asked about her switch to officiating from playing.
-PKL DEBUT AND THE EXPERIENCE OF REFEREEING-
Eventually, Vellore-born Sandhiya got her big break in 2018. After passing the selection trials in Chennai, she attended a training camp in Mumbai and that’s where she got selected for season 6.
Being a PKL referee is no menial task, especially during Covid-19 times where every single person associated with the league is confined to a bio-bubble. Sandhiya is one of 10 female Techincal referees this year and while giving an insight into her schedule on a typical matchday, she said:
“In the morning, we have a fitness session followed by a review meeting about the previous day’s matches with [Kabaddi] Rao sir wherein we talk about the various situations we faced. Moreover, he also informs us about our postings for the day. Then, we go for breakfast followed by a break and lunch. I try to get some sleep in the afternoon. After that, I prepare myself accordingly based on past and expected situations. We also do some breathing exercises to keep our calm before the match.”
-HANDLING PRESSURE AND WORKING OF A REVIEW-
Since kabaddi is an excruciatingly physical sport, tempers tend to flare during touch moments and key decisions. The teams are entitled to an allocated amount of television reviews. According to Sandhiya, it is imperative for the officials to remain cool-headed during tense situations.
"If we face any issues on the mat regarding any decision, the key is not get tensed otherwise everything will collapse.
"First, all the on-mat referees come together and discuss the team’s claims and then we give our decision. Even if they are still not satisfied, we go for a TV review provided they still have them left. Once they make their decision, they convey it to us and we announce it.
“Even after all this, if the players continue to protest, we tell them that the correct decision has been made and suggest them to not argue further. If they are overly aggressive, we show them the green card (An initial warning for any violation of rules). If they persist, we give them the yellow card- 2 minute suspension from the game,” explained Sandhiya
-AN INSPIRATION-
Over the last decade, a higher number of women have started playing the sport. And Sandhiya is an inspiration for everyone facing hardships. She concluded by giving a small message to aspiring female sportspersons, saying:
“Be strong in every situation. Think of today and plan for tomorrow. Don’t pay attention towhat others are saying and doing. Stay focused on yourself. I say this because women often think a lot about the past and about what others are saying.”
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