India, Sept. 27 -- At just 17, Nikita Kumari made a memorable debut for the Indian senior team, delivering a crucial performance in the final as the India's women's kabaddi team defeated Iran to clinch the gold medal on Saturday. She is among the youngest members of the Indian squad to represent the country on the international stage.

For Kumari, Kabaddi was never just a sport she discovered later in life. It was part of her upbringing.Kumari started playing Kabaddi at the age of eight.

Her coach, Dr Sunil Dabas, believes that her early entry into the sport helped her build mental toughness that she now displays. "In the villages of Haryana, most children grow up playing kabaddi. Nikita and her three younger sisters have all taken to th...