Puneri Paltan’s Aslam Inamdar didn’t have a smooth path into the world of kabaddi. Hailing from humble beginnings, his early days were spent helping his mother wash tea glasses at a roadside stall to support the family.

“My childhood was very hard. Our only goal was that nobody in the family should go hungry,” recalled Aslam on 'The Chill Hour' podcast with Deepak Pareek. “I worked in hotels, on farms, anywhere I could — but I never let go of my passion for kabaddi.”

That passion found an outlet thanks to his brother Wasim and local coach Rahul Balkar. Despite years of obscurity, Aslam’s big breakthrough came in 2019. By 2021, he was making his Pro Kabaddi League debut with Puneri Paltan, soon establishing himself as a fearless raider.