Sukesh Hegde (Kabaddi) Wiki, Age, Height, Wife, Family, Biography & More

 

Sukesh Hegde, an Indian kabaddi professional, has competed for teams including Telugu Titans, Gujrat Giants, Tamil Thalaivas, Bengal Warriors, and Patna Pirates.

Wiki/Biography

Sukesh Hegde was born on Monday, October 2, 1989 (34 years old; as of 2023) in Kadthala village, Karkal taluka, Karnataka, India. His zodiac sign is Libra. He graduated from Alva’s College, Moodbidri. He started playing kabaddi during primary school in his hometown, progressing from the school’s athletic team to eventually joining the Kabaddi team.

Physical Appearance

^[1]ESPN Height:  5′ 11″

Weight (approx.):  82 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Body Measurements (approx.): Chest: 42”; Waist: 34”; Biceps: 15”

Family

He belongs to a Kannada family.

Parents & Siblings

There is not enough information about his parents and siblings.

Wife & Children

Sukesh Hegde got married on April 25, 2022, to Krithika Hegde, an electronics and computer engineer.

Religion

Sukesh Hegde follows Hinduism. ^[2]Sukesh Hegde – Instagram

Career

National Career:

Sukesh Hegde started his journey with the Karnataka team in 2013, where he remained for more than 8 years. Joining the Indian camp for Pro Kabaddi League training in 2014, he also contributed to the national team’s victory, securing a bronze medal at the 65th Senior National Kabaddi Championship in 2017.

Pro Kabaddi League:

In the inaugural 2014 Pro Kabaddi League season, Sukesh Hegde was selected by Telugu Titans. Notably, he achieved his highest raid score ever in the league, accumulating 79 raid points and 4 tackle points across 14 matches, including 3 Super Raids. He continued with Telugu Titans for the next four seasons. In the second season, he earned 62 raid points and 2 tackle points across 13 matches, achieving 5 Super Raids. His performance dropped in the fourth season, yielding a mere 7 raid points in 9 matches.

Moving on to the fifth season, he joined Gujarat Fortune Giants in 2017 as captain. Remarkably, he earned 75 raid points and 2 tackle points in 18 matches. Subsequently, he was acquired by Tamil Thalaivas for the sixth season in 2018, achieving 78 raid points and 3 tackle points in 16 matches.

Joining Bengal Warriors for the seventh season in 2019, he achieved 63 points over 16 matches. In the eighth season, still with Bengal Warriors, he secured 58 raid points and 2 super raids in 15 matches.

In his ninth season, he was chosen by Patna Pirates.

International Career:

Sukesh Hegde was a part of the Indian team’s victory, securing a gold medal at the 12th South Asian Games held in Guwahati and Shillong, in 2016.

Awards, Honours & Achievements

Award

• Karnataka State Ekalavya Award
  

  Sukesh Hegde posing with his award

Honours

• Honoured by Karnataka Government in Karkala Ustava 2022.

Achievements

• Pro Kabaddi League title (2019) – Bengal Warriors.

Medals

• South Asian Games 2016 (Gold)

Car Collection

Sukesh Hegde owns Maruti Suzuki Brezza.

Salary

As of 2021, Sukesh Hegde was auctioned for INR 30 Lakhs. ^[3]ESPN India

Favourites

Kabaddi Player: Sanjeev Kumar Baliyan

Actor: Aamir Khan

PKL Game: Season 7 semi-finals and finals

Number: 07

Facts/Trivia

• Sukesh Hegde, in addition to playing professional Kabaddi, also works at the Bank of Baroda. ^[4]Bengal Warriors – YouTube
  

  Sukesh Hegde with his colleagues at Bank of Baroda

• In an interview, he once mentioned that the limited popularity of kabaddi in the southern region of India is because of the absence of academies and training centers in rural areas. The coming of South Indian players in the Pro Kabaddi League has spurred youth’s interest despite initial challenges.

• During his university years, Sukesh’s dedication led him to practice three times daily, aiming to be better than his senior players. Because the senior did not let juniors play with them, he used to play for 4-5 hours daily to be able to compete with them.

• Sukesh regards Manjeet Chillar as the most challenging defender he faced in the PKL matches. ^[5]Pro Kabaddi – YouTube

• Looking back at his kabaddi journey, he described a challenging moment during the Season 5 finals for Gujarat Fortune Giants when he was benched by the coach just after a few raids. He revealed that he was quite upset about this decision of not letting him play. ^[6]Bengal Warriors – YouTube

• Post his playing career, Sukesh wants to coach and inspire Indian youth in the sport of kabaddi. ^[7]Pro Kabaddi – YouTube

• In a conversation about his perfect Dream Team, he said he would choose players like Fazel and Ravinder Pahal in corners, along with Sunil, Parvesh, and Mohammad Esmaeil Nabibakhsh.

• Notably, both Sukesh and his wife Krithika are alumni of Alva’s College, Moodbidri.

• Sukesh is fluent in three languages: Kannada, English, and Hindi.

• The raider has a love for animals and often posts pictures feeding the street animals too. He also owns a Husky.
  

  Sukesh Hegde walking his pet dog

• Sukesh has a lot of hobbies which include painting, photography, swimming, and going to the gym to maintain his fitness levels. He also focuses on his mental health by doing yoga. He is very focused on his overall health.
  

  Sukesh Hegde while doing yoga

  

  Sukesh working out in the gym

• Sukesh maintains a disciplined diet, avoiding fried and carb-rich foods, considering it important for good health and a long-lasting career, especially in sports.