\"My childhood was very hard. Our only goal was that nobody in the family should go hungry. I worked in hotels, on farms, anywhere I could \u2014 but I never let go of my passion for kabaddi,\" recalls Aslam on 'The Chill Hour' podcast with Deepak Pareek.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
That passion found an outlet thanks to his brother Wasim and local coach Rahul Balkar. Despite years of obscurity \u2014 \"For 10 years, I was just a kabaddi player with no money or fame\" \u2014 Aslam\u2019s big breakthrough came in 2019. By 2021, he was making his Pro Kabaddi League debut with Puneri Paltan, soon establishing himself as a fearless raider.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The economics of PKL, he believes, have transformed not only players\u2019 lives but also the perception of the sport. \"If a PKL player gets Rs 2 crores continuously over three-four seasons, it means he earns at least INR 8 crores\u2026 This changes a person\u2019s life and the way the sport is being viewed,\" Aslam says.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But success came with setbacks. After captaining Puneri to their maiden PKL title in Season 10 and being named Most Valuable Player, he suffered a major injury in Season 11. Doubts about his comeback swirled. \"People said I won\u2019t be able to play at that level again. But I don\u2019t pay attention to negativity. I believe in myself more than anything else,\" he says.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
It is this mindset \u2014 equal parts calm and determined \u2014 that defines Aslam. \"I don\u2019t take life too seriously. I live in the present. Whatever you do, do it openly, enjoy every moment,\" he says with a smile.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Consistency, he believes, is the real test of a sportsperson. \"Getting success is easy. Keeping it is the hardest thing. Many players shine for a year and disappear. For me, it\u2019s about hard work plus smart work. That\u2019s what keeps you at the top.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
It is this mindset \u2014 equal parts calm and determined \u2014 that defines Aslam. \"I don\u2019t take life too seriously. I live in the present. Whatever you do, do it openly, enjoy every moment,\" he says with a smile.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Today, Aslam Inamdar is not just a kabaddi champion but an inspiration for youngsters chasing big dreams from small towns. His journey is proof that hunger, discipline, and self-belief can carry you from the sidelines of a tea stall to the center stage of world sport.<\/p>\r\n\r\n