Pragya Shinde

The Kho Kho World Cup turned out to be Nasreen Shaikh’s swansong. She announced her retirement soon after India lifted the cup, leaving her fans wondering why she quit when everything was going well.

“I have achieved so much – Arjuna Award and now won gold for India. Only when I quit, the junior players will find a place in the team,” said the charming 26-year-old athlete from Delhi, whose Kho Kho career of 12 years is a story of grit and passion.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Nasreen’s rise in Kho Kho, is the story of the global popularity of this Indian sport. “I am amazed to see how foreign teams are adapting to Kho Kho and am sure that it will be in the Olympics,” she said.

Arjuna award winner Nasreen’s rise to a top-ranking international Kho Kho player is soon going to be a biopic, as the Kho Kho Federation is making a film on her inspiring journey.

Nasreen honed her innate athletic talent even amid a lack of resources. Her father Mohammad Gafoor, a hawker and a dailywager had to take care of a large family of 11 children with his meager income and yet he supported her in all ways.

 The family came from Araria in Bihar to Delhi in search of a better life.

Nasreen Shaikh receiving Arjuna award

To support his large family comprising his wife, six daughters, and five sons, Gafoor worked overtime and in multiple locations selling utensils. He couldn’t help his eldest daughter but when it came to Nasreen, he decided to support her in all ways.

Besides, Nasreen and her parents had to deal with society's disapproval of a girl going out to play and wearing a body suit.

In 2024, Gafoor Shaikh and his wife experienced the happiest moments of their life as they saw Nasreen receive the coveted Arjuna Award for her contribution to Kho Kho from President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Nasreen developed a love for the game at an early age. Noticing her agility, her teachers at a school in Delhi’s Kohat enclave advised her to play Kho Kho which turned out to be a life-changing one.

Nasreen's big moment came in 2019 when she became captain of the Indian Kho Kho team for the South Asian Games. India won gold under her captaincy. She has so far competed in 50 national events and six international events. Kho Kho is played in 38 countries.

Nasreen Shaikh with an official at the World Cup inauguration

“For many Muslim women, it’s a luxury to be allowed to step outdoors by the males in our families,” says Shaikh. “As I grew up, my love of Kho Kho made me reclaim that luxury as a right. It came at a cost -- My brother severed all ties with me for half a decade,” she told a magazine.

It may be mentioned that Kho Kho was one of the three indigenous games, alongside kabaddi and mallakhamb, to feature as demonstration sports at the Berlin 1936 Olympics. It's a prehistoric Indian game that tests the stamina and agility of the player.

Nasreen is a postgraduate in Physical Education and works for the Airports Authority of India. Recently she built a house for her family to move into.

Going down memory lane, Nasreen recalls how troubled her father was when she told him about her wish to pursue Kho Kho. However, later he encouraged her and sent her for coaching.

Nasreen Shaikh with the World Cup in South Asian Games

In her locality, sports were a rarity for girls. She would wear a burqa while going to practice to avoid controversy and small talk that could hurt her family. Later she bought a scooter for commutation.

Nasreen learned the tricks of Kho Kho under the guidance of guru Ashwin Sharma and MS Tyagi in Delhi. Her hard work and dedication led to her selection for the National Kho Kho Championship held in Indore in 2016 in which 10 countries participated.

She became the first Indian woman to be selected for the Kho Kho Championship held in London in 2018.

"My father was working so hard, so I focused more on the game of Kho Kho," says Nasreen Shaikh.

Nasreen's day starts with field practice from 5 to 10 am. Finally, her hard work paid off and India won the gold medal at the 2019 South Asian Games under her leadership. She has never looked back.

The pandemic was a difficult time for the family since her father's business came to a standstill. The Kho Kho Federation and the Delhi Youth Welfare Organisation provided her with financial assistance.

Nasreen expected that the matches would start soon after the pandemic. So she continued to practice at home, in a nearby park, and on the terrace. “Kho Kho is a game that depends on coordination and speed. So I used to gather local children and play Kho Kho on the terrace, which helped me practice my speed and coordination,” says Nasreen.

Nasreen Shaikh celebrating with Dr Sikha after India lifted World Cup

Inspired by her success, her two younger sisters are also playing Kho Kho.

After winning the Arjuna Award, Nasreen said, "Kho Kho is a game from our soil. I will try to get it recognized at the global level."

The Indian Women team got off to a winning start in the 2025 Kho Kho World Cup. The final round saw amazing dominance by the Indian women.

The Indian team took a 34-0 lead in the first round, after which Nepal came back in the second round and the score was 35-24. In the third round, India increased the score to 73-24, putting the match beyond Nepal's reach. Indian women won the title 78-40.

India defeated Nepal in the final match of the Kho Kho World Cup played at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi to become the world champion. Nasreen Shaikh played a key role in the victory.

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However, this most senior player shocked everyone with her retirement announcement. She however said she was ready for any role in the Kho Kho Federation of India.