Rahul Chaudhari, born on June 16, 1993, is an Indian Kabaddi athlete whom fans and experts recognize for his successful transition from a defender to an exceptional raider. People also know him as the ‘Showman,’ and they rank him among the most fleet-footed raiders in the game. Having started out as a defender, he went on to make his mark in the game as a raider.
Featuring in the PKL ever since its inception, Rahul was with the Telugu Titans for six years before shifting base to Tamil Thalaivas. But life was not as shining as it is today for this 30-year-old. From his weight issues to moving out alone to a new city despite opposition from his family, Rahul Chaudhari has truly seen it all. But his passion, determination, and hard work have made him the man he is today! Let’s get to know more about Rahul Chaudhari and his fight with life.
Rahul Chaudhari Biography
| Name | Rahul Chaudhari |
| Nickname | The Showman |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Born | 16 June 1993 |
| Age (as of 2026) | 33 years |
| Place of Birth | Jalalpur Choiya, Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Occupation | Former Professional Kabaddi Player |
| Years Active | 2014-2024 (Professional) |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Country | India |
| Sport | Kabaddi |
| Position | Raider |
| Kabaddi League | Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) |
| Club | Formerly played for Telugu Titans, Tamil Thalaivas, Puneri Paltan, and Jaipur Pink Panthers |
| National Team | India |
Early Days
Credits: FirstPost
Rahul Chaudhari was born in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor district on 16th June 1993. From childhood itself, Chaudhari had a propensity for kabaddi. However, a major challenge that a young Chaudhari faced in childhood was being more than a healthy weight. It may be a bit difficult to imagine that one of the most nimble and quick kabaddi players was once healthy too.
The reason for – a habit of eating unhealthy food. It was so severe that, when his parents took him to a doctor, he straightaway declared that Chaudhari would live no longer, considering his unusual weight.
Since that time, his parents have provided special attention to ways to cut down his fat intake. They increased his dairy product intake and fed him pure protein. Moreover, trainers/coaches paid special attention to Rahul's fitness. Probably, that is the reason why people consider Chaudhari one of the fittest athletes, apart from being quick and agile.
Soon, Rahul started to develop a fondness. In fact, he had started to play the sport in school when he was just 13 years old. Even after school, he would straight away go to play the sport, without even having lunch.
Credits: PKL
However, his parents failed to recognize his passion and talent for kabaddi. In an interview, Rahul disclosed how, initially, his parents would scold him to stop ruining his life and "focus on studies." He would also get beaten occasionally.
By now, Rahul realized no matter how much talent he possessed, he would have more difficulties in maneuvering life than raiding. Nevertheless, a determined Rahul had made up his mind that he wanted to pursue a career in professional kabaddi. He held on with his dream of one day playing for the national team.
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Rahul Chaudhari Career
In 2007, Rahul secretly attended the trial that was held by the Sports Authority of India (SAI). His belief in himself and his hard work came through. Chaudary was selected in the trials and was also offered a place in the training camp in Gandhinagar.
Despite opposition from his family, especially his father, Rahul packed his bags and headed to Gujarat. In the days to come, this turned out a big decision for him. The 15-year-old boy learned the essential basics of the game. Soon, Rahul was a wanted young lad!! The Indian Army offered him a role.
Credits: PKL
However, a perplexed Rahul decided the move would be against his best interests. He felt it was not only too early for him to take the leap, but also he would not get enough time to practice Kabaddi.
With one opportunity gone, another knocked on his door. Rahul received an opportunity to play for Air India. This time, however, Rahul grabbed his opportunity.
Rahul Chaudhari Pro Kabaddi
Renowned coach Uday Kumar first noticed Rahul Chaudhari's exceptional talent on turf. The latter eventually went on to coach Telugu Titans, where he recruited the UP player. The rest is history.
In the first season of the newly formed Pro-Kabaddi League, he was successful in picking up 161 points from 14 games. That statistic was enough to sky-rocket Chaudhari's stock in India's kabaddi circles.
In that season, he was ranked second in the raiding charts, behind only U Mumba's captain, Anup Kumar. He proved he was not a flash in the pan by again ranking in second in the following season as well.
Rahul Chaudhari reached his peak performance in PKL season IV when he became the first PKL player to score 400 raid points, a testament to his consistency. In that season, he had scored 146 points in 16 games, 15 points clear ofPardeep Narwal.
Rahul holds the record of scoring the highest raid points to date in the history of PKL. He has amassed 791 points from 89 matches, taking him 37 points above the next contender Pardeep Narwal (754 from 75 matches)
PKL 7
After 6 seasons with the Telugu Titans, southern rivals Tamil Thalaivas picked up Rahul Chaudhari for 94 lakhs. Chaudhari was the only light in a disappointing season for the Thalaivas. They finished last with just 37 points in 22 games. Personally, Chaudhari had a decent season.
He earned 138 points in 22 games with 79.79% not-outs. While attacking, Rahul made 325 raids, of which 40 were successful. He finished the season with four super raids and four super 10s. However, he had his worst PKL average raid points per game, 5.9.
He later represented Puneri Paltan in Season 8 before moving to Jaipur Pink Panthers in Season 9 and 10. Although he played a limited role at Jaipur, Rahul won his first title with the team. He announced his retirement from the Pro Kabaddi League in 2024 after a remarkable 10 seasons. He finished among the league’s highest-ever raid-point scorers. After his retirement, Chaudhari began working as a kabaddi expert and commentator and remains connected to the sport.
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Rahul Chaudhari Indian National Kabaddi Team
Credits: Free Press Journal
Rahul became the Indian senior team's captain at the Asian Beach Games in Phuket, Thailand, in 2014. In the competition, he led the side to gold at the prestigious competition.
In 2015, he followed that up by clinching the Senior Nationals Kabaddi Championships gold for his state, Uttar Pradesh. Rahul also went on to play for India at the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup. India won a gold at the competition.
He was also a part of the Indian contingent that brought gold at the 2016 South Asian Games, the 2017 Asian Kabaddi Championships and the 2018 Kabaddi Masters Dubai.
Rahul Chaudhari Family
Credits Facebook
Rahul Chaudhari was born on 16th June 1993 in the city of Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh. Rahul's father, Rampal Singh, was strictly against his son's decision of playing kabaddi. In his earlier days, Chaudhari did not receive much support from his family.
He used to get scolded for playing after school and skipping meals. In fact, in an interview, he had confessed that he used to sometimes get hit. "That time no one supported me. My parents used to scold me,” he says. "They used to say, 'Why are you ruining your life? focus on studies; it will help you in future.' Sometimes I even used to get beaten by them."
However, once he got his first job at Air India, both of his parents became happy about how his career turned out. Rahul also has an elder brother named Rohit Kumar.
Rahul Chaudhari Wife
On 14 December 2019, Rahul Chaudhari got engaged to commercial pilot Hetali Brahmbhatt. Hetali was born in Ahmedabad. The duo met in a PKL match in Ahmedabad in August 2019 via a common friend.
Hetali herself has been a kabaddi fan. In fact, she played the sport while she was in school. The union between the two had to weather some storms before they could live together. Hetali's mother, Jayshree, was skeptical of the relationship. However, the simplicity of Rahul's family won her over.
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Rahul Chaudhari Awards & Achievements
| Year | Tournament / Award | Achievement | Representing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Pro Kabaddi League Season 1 | Most Valuable Player (MVP) | Telugu Titans |
| 2014 | Pro Kabaddi League Season 1 | Top Raider (151 raid points) | Telugu Titans |
| 2016 | South Asian Games | Gold Medal | India |
| 2016 | Kabaddi World Cup | Gold Medal | India |
| 2016 | Pro Kabaddi League Season 4 | First player to score 500 career PKL raid points | Telugu Titans |
| 2017 | Pro Kabaddi League Season 5 | First player to cross 700 career PKL raid points | Telugu Titans |
| 2018 | Pro Kabaddi League Season 6 | Became the first player to score 800 career PKL raid points | Telugu Titans |
| 2018 | Pro Kabaddi League | Crossed 900 career raid points | Telugu Titans |
| 2019 | Pro Kabaddi League Season 7 | Became the first player to score 1,000 career PKL raid points | Tamil Thalaivas |
| 2022 | Pro Kabaddi League Season 9 | Crossed 1,050 career raid points | Jaipur Pink Panthers |
Unknown Facts
- As a kid, Rahul was very healthy. It was so severe that, when his parents took him to a doctor, he straightaway declared that Chaudhari would live no longer, considering his unusual weight.
- Rahul Chaudhari has featured in various music videos, including "Dil Mera Dil" and ‘A Broken Heart Story.’ He has also appeared on Roadies and The Kapil Sharma Show.
- Rahul was not a fan of playing Kabaddi at the start. He got attracted to the game after watching his elder brother play it.
- Chaudhari started out as a defender.
Social Media
FAQs
Who is Rahul Chaudhari?Rahul Chaudhari, born on June 16, 1993, is an Indian Kabaddi athlete, known as the ‘Showman.’ He is renowned for his exceptional raiding skills and is considered among the most fleet-footed raiders in the game.
What challenges did Rahul Chaudhari face in his childhood?Rahul faced weight issues as a child and had to overcome opposition from his family, who initially did not support his kabaddi career.
How did Rahul Chaudhari begin his professional Kabaddi career?Rahul secretly attended trials held by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in 2007 and was selected for a training camp in Gandhinagar. He later played for Air India before joining the Pro Kabaddi League.
Which teams did Rahul Chaudhari play for in the PKL?Rahul Chaudhari played for four teams in the PKL: Telugu Titans, Tamil Thalaivas, Puneri Paltan, and Jaipur Pink Panthers.
When did Rahul Chaudhari become the captain of the Indian national Kabaddi team?He captained the Indian senior team at the Asian Beach Games in Phuket, Thailand, in 2014.
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