Daiva chases Asian Games dream

After making a mark in local tournaments, Davia made it to the senior A.P. team and took part in two senior nationals

Daiva Krupa

Four down...two to go. This 21-year-old kabaddi player from the State is chasing the 2014 Asian Games dream.

She has attended four Indian camps and left with two more before the Indian team for the Korean sojourn is announced.

Meet Daiva Krupa, an up and coming raider from Kakinada, who impressed the bigwigs of Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) in the two camps held at Gandhinagar and one each at Bhopal and Bangalore.

“AKFI has selected 36 players as probables and after six selection camps the final 12-member team will be picked for the prestigious Asiad,” Daiva says.

From East Godavari

This East Godavari girl, basically a kho kho player, was introduced to the game by SAAP coach Sai Prasad and after learning the basics she left for Vizag to join the SAI hostel to train under internationally-reputed coach E. Prasada Rao.

After making a mark in the local tournaments, the stocky-looking Davia made it to the senior Andhra Pradesh team and took part in two senior Nationals, and in one woman’s Nationals. “I also visited Dhaka (Bangladesh) to play an invitational tournament”.

Davia, as a raider has the capacity to change the entire tempo of the game with in minutes with her controlled aggression.

“She likes to go in search of points and never hesitates meet the opponents head on. She also has the ability to wriggle herself out of the clasp of they rival defence astutely,” says former India and senior SAI coach Padmaja Bala.

Stiff competition

Krishna University women kabaddi coach Koteswara Rao says Daiva faced competition from Haryana and Maharashtra raiders. “The team needs six raiders and she stands a chance to get in to the team”.

Davia, who played an important role, in the Krishna University winning the bronze medal in the South Zone inter-university women kabaddi torment last year was felicitated by the varsity Vice Chancellor V. Venkaiah along with others with a cash award of Rs. 4,000 each. She also helped KRU team to finish fourth in the all India inter-university fixtures.

Davia is currently pursuing her final year degree at SRR & CVR Government College.