Raju Bhavsar is a former Indian

kabaddi Kabaddi (, ) is a contact team sport played between two teams of seven players. It is one of the traditional games of South Asia. In this game, a raider enters the opposing half of the court to touch defenders and attempt to return within 30 ...

player. He has played for

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kabaddi team and represented in international tournaments for almost eight years.

Career

He played for

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

. His playing style was all rounder. He was the captain of the national kabaddi team, which won a historic gold medal in the first ever indoor

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kabaddi tournament held at

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, England in 1993. He represented India and won a gold medal for India at the kabaddi Asian championship held at

Calcutta Kolkata, also known as Calcutta (List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern ba ...

in 1987. He was part of the Indian kabaddi team that qualified for the 9th kabaddi Asian games in

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, winning gold against

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

in 1990. He was awarded India's second highest sports honour,

Arjuna Award The Arjuna Award, officially known as Arjuna Awards given for Outstanding Performance in Sports and Games, is the second-highest sporting honour of India, the highest being the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The award is named after Arjun ...

in 1996 by the

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. Currently he is working with Air India in Inflight Services Dept as Cabin Supervisor. He is also a kabaddi expert for leading sports broadcaster 'Star Sports' for Pro Kabaddi League & world Cup 2016.

Early days

Raju entered kabaddi at 14, watching his elder brothers Vivek & Hemant playing. He played for a well known kabaddi club of Sangli (Maharashtra) "Jai Mathrubhumi Vyayam Mandal" From the age of 16 he showed potential and at the age of 19 he was selected in Maharashtra men's team for Senior nationals. Raju was picked up by a professional team "Vanaz Engineers", Pune. After playing for 4 years he was offered a job by national carrier "Air India" at Mumbai.

Playing style

Having equal command over raiding and defence, Raju Bhavsar was one of the finest all-rounders of his time. He was a quick both side raider and solid right center. He is the only player who has played on all 4 defensive positions for Maharashtra men's team in Nationals. He was known as master strategist and tactician.

Achievements and awards

* Highest award for sportspersons in Maharashtra state "ShivChhatrapati Puraskar" - 1986 * Highest award for sportspersons in India "Arjuna Award"-1996 * FIE national award for best sportsman of India -1990

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhavsar, Raju Living people Recipients of the Arjuna Award Indian male kabaddi players Kabaddi players from Mumbai 1962 births Asian Games gold medalists for India Asian Games kabaddi players for India Asian Games gold medalists in kabaddi Kabaddi players at the 1990 Asian Games Medalists at the 1990 Asian Games