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Anup Kumar, the Indian ex-professional Kabaddi player, currently serves as the coach for the Puneri Paltan team in the Pro Kabaddi League.
Wiki/Biography
Anup Kumar, popularly known as Captain Cool, was born on Sunday, November 20, 1983 (age 40 years; as of 2023), in Palra, Gurgaon, Haryana, India. Anup’s zodiac sign is Scorpio. He completed his education at an Open University. During his school days, he took up Kabaddi as a hobby and started playing the sport professionally later.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 6′ 0″
Weight (approx.): 80kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Body Measurements (approx.): Chest: 42”; Waist: 34”; Biceps: 15”
Family
Parents & Siblings
His father Late Ransingh Yadav served in the Indian Army while his mother, Ballo Devi is a housewife.
A picture of Anup’s father
A picture of Anup Kumar’s mother
Anup has an older brother named Rajesh Yadav and two older sisters. One of his sister’s names is Neelam.
Anup Kumar with both his sisters
Wife & Children
He was married to Seema and the couple have a son named Avi.
A picture of Anup Kumar with his wife
Anup Kumar with his son Avi
Religion
Anup Kumar is a Hindu.
Anup Kumar inside a Hindu temple
Caste
He belongs to a Jatt family.
Career
In April 2005, he started his career in the CRPF as a constable.
Anup Kumar in his police uniform
Pro Kabaddi League
U Mumba
In the 2014 Pro Kabaddi League, he served as the captain of the U-Mumba team. Under his leadership, U Mumba got their first-ever Pro Kabaddi title in 2015, with him finishing the season with an impressive tally of 74 raid points. He continued to be a part of the U-Mumba team in 2016, even though most of the squad underwent significant changes. With the assistance of Rakesh Kumar, they managed to secure a fifth-place finish, although it was the first season where U Mumba failed to reach the finals. Anup Kumar was retained by U Mumba for the fifth consecutive season, and in season 5, he became the first player in Pro Kabaddi history to achieve 400 raid points.
Anup playing in the U Mumbai team
Jaipur Pink Panthers
In the sixth season, U Mumba decided to release Anup Kumar from their team. During the auctions, Anup Kumar was acquired by the franchise owned by Abhishek Bachchan, the Jaipur Pink Panthers, for a sum of 30 Lakhs INR.
Anup Kumar with the Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan
Retirement
After a remarkable 15-year journey in the sport, he officially declared his retirement from Kabaddi on 19 December 2018.
Coaching
In the Pro Kabaddi League Season 7, he held the position of coach for the Puneri Paltan team.
Anup as the coach of Puneri Paltan
International Career
Anup Kumar marked his international debut in the 2006 South Asian Games. Throughout his career, he achieved gold medals in kabaddi at the 2010 and 2014 Asian Games. Additionally, he secured a gold medal at the 2016 South Asian Games. Anup Kumar’s leadership skills shone as he captained the Indian national Kabaddi team, leading them to their historic third victory in the Kabaddi World Cup in 2016.
Awards, Honours, Achievements
Achievements
- Most Valuable Player of the Tournament (PKL) – 2014
- Highest score in the Inaugural League of Pro Kabaddi League with 169 points
- The only player to captain a team in the finals for consecutive three years
Medals
- Asian Games 2010(Guangzhou) – Gold
- Asian Games 2014(Incheon) – Gold
- South Asian Games 2006(Colombo) – Gold
- South Asian Games 2010(Dhaka) – Gold
- South Asian Games 2016(Guwahati & Shillong) – Gold
- Kabaddi World Cup 2016 – Gold
Autograph
Anup Kumar signing a fan’s shirt
Bike Collection
He owns a Royal Enfield.
A picture of Anup Kumar’s Royal Enfield
Favourites
- Food: Curd, milk, and butter
- Beverage: Extremely sweet tea
- Favourite Kabaddi Player: Mohit Chhillar
Facts/Trivia
- In an interview, Anup’s elder sister Neelam revealed that their father did not like him to play kabaddi fearing that he would not study. However, Anup would still jump walls and sneak out of the house to play the sport. His father only agreed to him playing sports when he would win gifts and later got a sports quota as he was “mediocre” in his studies.
- Anup revealed that he passed his 10th board exam by cheating as he was never interested in studying.
- Anup Kumar possesses three primary skills: bonus, hand touch, and toe touch. He has earned the famous moniker “Bonus ka Badshah” due to his exceptional ability to score bonus points. Additionally, he is also known as “Captain Cool” because of his outstanding leadership and sportsmanship on the field.
- Anup Kumar always had a dream of training the youth to play Kabaddi and after his career as a coach, he established a Kabaddi academy called ‘Future Fighter Academy’ in his hometown of Gurgaon, Haryana.
Anup frequently posts about his academy on social media
- To have the two events connected together, he chose to retire on his son’s birthday.
- He participated in the Khel Mahakumbh 2017, an annual state-level sports festival held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
- Anup Kumar received recognition from the Haryana government for his outstanding contributions to the sport of Kabaddi. He graciously dedicated this prestigious award to his devoted fans and supporters.
- Anup likes to stay fit by going to the gym regularly besides his practice on the field. He also likes to swim and keep active in general.
A picture of Anup Kumar in a pool
Anup doing yoga
Anup Kumar clicked in the gym