Diu (Daman and Diu) [India], January 13 : Kolhapur's Akshay Patil has spent nearly two decades muscling his way through adversity and sweating it out in the tug-of-war arena. His efforts did not go to waste. Patil's career is a classic example of how sport can transform lives.
Born into a small farming family, Patil's sporting journey began in his school days, when he competed in district tug-of-war trials. Selection meant his school would waive his Rs 1,200 annual tuition fee, according to a KIBG 2026 release. Patil was successful, marking a turning point in the life of the well-built young man.
"I am associated with tug-of-war since my fifth standard. When the school waived off my tuition fees, it was a big relief to my family," said 29-year-old Patil, the assistant coach of the Maharashtra team at the Khelo India Beach Games 2026 in Diu.
Years of perseverance paid off in 2021 when his commitment to tug-of-war earned him direct recruitment under the sports quota as a sorting assistant in the Postal Department. Though initially posted away from home, a subsequent transfer back to his hometown brought stability not just to Patil's career, but to his family.
The impact was immediate and profound. Akshay Patil arranged his only sister's marriage the following year and invested in cattle to help his ageing parents set up a small dairy business.
"My parents have worked tirelessly in the fields all their lives, and now I want them to rest. The job also helped me arrange my sister's marriage smoothly, and today I can say I am settled in life, free from financial insecurity," said Patil, who won a silver in the 2012 junior World Cup in Chennai.
A product of a government school system, Patil continued his education while competing in several state and national-level tournaments. "Even after joining sthe ervice, I never stopped practising. Before that, I had already played district and state-level competitions and participated in various national-level competitions," he added.
Patil, who boasts of two golds, four silvers and three bronze medals in the senior nationals held between 2011 and 2022, credited the constant support from former weightlifter-turned-tug-of-war athlete Madhavi Patil, who was once a part of the national weightlifting camp for the 1996 Centennial Olympics in Atlanta, US.
In 2000, Madhavi quit weightlifting to pursue a career in tug-of-war and soon became the All India Inter-University champion for four consecutive years before representing India at the Asian Tug-of-War Championship in 2004.
Now serving as a physical education teacher and a coach, Madhavi is preparing the next generation of athletes, as tug-of-war, initially a part of the Olympic movement till 1908, is eyeing readmission into the Summer Games.
Praising the Khelo India initiative, Madhavi said that the sport's inclusion in the Khelo India Beach Games for two consecutive editions has attracted youngsters from across the country to take up the traditional sport professionally. She hopes tug-of-war will become a medal sport in KIBG next season.
"With proper government support, Indian tug-of-war athletes can perform very well at international events and even win medals at world championships," Madhavi added.