Rinku Sharma: Early Life, Family, Domestic Career, PKL Journey, Achievements, Social Media and More

Rinku Sharma rose from a small Haryana village to become a key right-corner defender for U Mumba in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), earning around 200 tackle points and national recognition through consistent performances. He has also won Gold and Silver medals for team India. The right-corner defender Rinku Sharma has a unique feat of successfully completing a super tackle that too single-handedly.

Category	Details
Full Name	Rinku Sharma
Date of Birth	11 April 2001
Hometown	Rindhana village, Sonipat district, Haryana, India
Position	Defender – Right Corner
Height	178 cm
Domestic Teams	Haryana state team
PKL Teams	U Mumba (Seasons 8–11)
Indian Team Highlights	Gold – Kabaddi Masters Dubai 2018; Silver – 2018 Asian Games

Early Life & Family

Rinku Sharma was born on 11 April 2001 in Rindhana, a small village in Haryana’s Sonipat district. He grew up with his parents and two elder siblings who supported his sporting ambition. Inspired by watching local kabaddi heroes like Pardeep Narwal, Rinku began playing at age 10 in village tournaments. His elder brother Lokesh Sharma encouraged him to choose sport over studies, and Rinku joined the New Young Player (NYP) programme in Mumbai, where professional coaches refined his defensive skills.

Transitioning from village mud-court kabaddi to formal coaching, Rinku Sharma balanced school and training by bunking classes for practice. His family funded his travel and equipment, reflecting their belief in his talent. Within a year of joining NYP, he earned “Best Defender” awards in youth tournaments and secured trials for higher-level camps.

Domestic Career

After NYP, Rinku Sharma represented Haryana in national championships. Under coach Jaivir Sharma at the Sports Authority of India centre in Gandhinagar, he:

• Won the U-16 National Kabaddi Championship “Best Defender” trophy.
• Led Haryana to a podium finish at the Junior National Kabaddi Championship.
• Earned selection for the Indian junior squad at the Kabaddi Masters Dubai 2018, where India won gold.

These performances showcased his ankle holds, thigh holds, and quick reflexes, earning him attention ahead of the PKL auctions.

PKL Journey

Rinku Sharma entered the Pro Kabaddi League in Season 8 (2021), when U Mumba acquired him for ₹32 lakh. Since then, he has played exclusively for U Mumba, gradually growing into a defensive lynchpin.

Season	Year	Team	Matches Played	Tackle Points	Super Tackles	High 5s
8	2021	U Mumba	22	60	7	4
9	2022	U Mumba	19	57	7	3
10	2023	U Mumba	9	28	5	2
11	2024	U Mumba	22	45	0	0
		Total	72	192	19	9

These figures shows Rinku’s steady consistency, contributing tackle points in every season. In Season 8, he finished sixth among all defenders with 60 tackle points. His trademark ankle hold often turned games in U Mumba’s favour.

Rinku had a small setback during PKL season 10 when he endured an injury. Due to the injury, Rinku was unable to compete as his best, thus he was rested throughout the season. Although he played just 9 games he scored with an average tackle points of over 3 per match, 28 tackle points. 

The right-corner defender came to the lime-light when he single-handedly made a super tackle. He was left alone on the mat for U Mumba, and just 10 seconds were left on the timer. Rinku Sharma took his chances and attempted a tackle on raider Sachin Tanwar. And guess what he did a successful super tackle single-handedly. 

Achievements

• Over 190 total tackle points in 81 PKL matches across four seasons.
• Multiple High 5s and Super Tackles, highlighting match-turning contributions.
• Gold medal at Kabaddi Masters Dubai 2018 with India’s junior squad.
• Silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games (Jakarta).
• Named U Mumba vice-captain ahead of Season 11, reflecting leadership qualities.

Conclusion

Rinku Sharma’s journey from rural Haryana to PKL prominence underscores his dedication, simple training ethos, and family support. His reliable defense has cemented U Mumba’s backline and earned him national team call-ups. As he continues refining his signature tackles, Rinku remains a key figure in Pro Kabaddi and a rising star of Indian kabaddi.