Ravi Bhati: Early Life, Domestic Career, UPKL Achievements, Social Media and More

Ravi Shivraj Bhati is a young and talented kabaddi player who has worked his way up from the grass root level to play in two of India’s biggest kabaddi leagues. Born on November 28, 2001, in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, Ravi Bhati plays as a defender and has become known for his strong tackling skills and determination to succeed in kabaddi. 

Early Life and Family

Ravi Bhati grew up in a quiet village in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. He comes from a modest family background, and his path to becoming a professional kabaddi player was not an easy one. When Ravi first expressed his desire to pursue kabaddi, his parents did not support the idea. His mother and father wanted him to focus fully on his studies and did not see sports as a reliable career option at that time.

However, Ravi had a strong love for kabaddi from a young age. He understood that his real passion lay in playing this sport rather than pursuing traditional education. After many discussions with his parents, Ravi finally managed to convince them to support his dreams. He promised them that he would continue with his studies while also training in kabaddi, and he kept his word. Ravi never missed school or skipped classes to play kabaddi because he wanted to show his parents that he could balance both.

Despite his commitment to school, Ravi would spend almost every Sunday playing kabaddi from early morning until late at night. His mother would scold him for spending so much time outside and coming home late on Sundays. Yet, this dedication to the game showed his real passion for kabaddi and his willingness to sacrifice leisure time for his love of the sport.

At just 23 years old, Ravi Bhati has already become the first player from his village in Greater Noida to pursue kabaddi professionally. This achievement is significant because it shows how he has broken barriers and opened doors for other young players from his area who also dream of playing kabaddi at higher levels.

Domestic Career

Ravi Bhati’s formal training in kabaddi began in 2019 when he joined JD Academy under Coach Jitendra Nagar. This was when his structured journey in kabaddi really started. Before joining JD Academy, Ravi had played kabaddi casually in his village, but now he was training under an experienced coach who helped him develop his skills properly.

The next big step in Ravi’s domestic career came when he entered the Yuva Kabaddi Series, which is a tournament designed to help young kabaddi players gain experience and exposure. In the Summer Edition of 2022, Ravi played his first match in the Yuva Kabaddi Series for a team called Panchala Pride. In his debut season, he scored 22 points from 7 matches. This was a good start for a young player entering such a big tournament.

Ravi shared his feelings about his first experience in the Yuva Kabaddi Series, saying that he felt a bit hesitant to play under lights and in front of cameras. This shows the nervousness that new players feel when they enter professional tournaments for the first time.

After his initial success with Panchala Pride, Ravi continued to improve his skills and moved to other teams in the Yuva Kabaddi Series. He played for Vijayanagara Veers in the Monsoon Edition of 2022. Then, he joined Periyar Panthers for the Winter Edition of 2022 and continued with them in the Monsoon Edition of 2023. Playing for different teams helped Ravi learn from different coaches and teammates, which boosted his overall development as a kabaddi player.

The real proof of Ravi’s hard work came when he performed in the Yuva All Stars Championship 2025 in Haridwar. Playing for Yuva Yoddhas, Ravi scored 74 tackle points from 21 matches. This was an excellent performance that showed his skills as a defender. The high number of tackles proved that Ravi had become a strong defender capable of stopping the best raiders in the tournament.

However, Ravi’s journey was not without disappointment. Like many young players, he faced rejection when he was not selected for the state team that would play in the Senior Nationals. This was a tough time for him because he was performing well in various tournaments but still did not make the cut. Ravi himself said, “I was performing very well and was hoping to get selected for the nationals but when I didn’t see my name on the list, I felt very sad and lost hope”. This rejection could have broken his spirit, but instead, it motivated him to work even harder and prove his worth at a higher level.

UPKL Journey

Ravi Bhati’s latest chapter in kabaddi is his participation in the Uttar Pradesh Kabaddi League, or UPKL. This league is an important platform for players from Uttar Pradesh to showcase their talent and gain experience at the professional level.

In the UPKL, Ravi plays for Noida Ninjas as a defender. His statistics in the league show that he has been a useful player for his team. Let me share his UPKL performance statistics:

Looking at these numbers, it is clear that Ravi Bhati is a defender who focuses on making tackles rather than raids. Out of his 54 total points, 52 came from tackle points, showing that his strength lies in defense. In 13 matches, he made 88 total tackles, which means he makes about 7 tackles per match on average. This shows his consistency as a defender.

Among his 88 tackles, Ravi was successful in 46 of them. He also recorded 6 super tackles, which happen when a defender tackles a raider who has just touched a teammate. The HighFive statistic shows he was part of 5 team bonuses where multiple defenders worked together to stop a raid. This shows that Ravi is a team player who works well with other defenders on his team.

Ravi also made 4 raids in the UPKL, which is very few for a defender. Out of these 4 raids, 2 were successful and 2 were unsuccessful, and he did not score any super raids. This is normal for a defender because their main job is to stop the opponents from scoring, not to score themselves.

In the UPKL, Ravi Bhati has shown that he is a reliable defender who can be counted on to make tackles and stop raids. His performance with Noida Ninjas has given him the experience and confidence needed to play at the professional level.

Achievements

Ravi Bhati’s journey in kabaddi may be short, but his achievements are significant, especially considering where he started from.

Youth Career Achievements:

Ravi Bhati holds the honor of being the first player from his village in Greater Noida to play professional kabaddi. This is a major achievement that shows his determination to break barriers and open new paths for other young players from his area. He scored 22 points in just 7 matches during his debut in the Yuva Kabaddi Series with Panchala Pride in the Summer Edition of 2022. Later, in the Yuva All Stars Championship 2025, he recorded 74 tackle points from 21 matches, which is an excellent performance that shows his growth as a defender. He also successfully played for multiple teams in the Yuva Kabaddi Series, including Vijayanagara Veers and Periyar Panthers, gaining experience with different coaches and playing styles.

Professional Achievements:

Ravi Bhati was selected for the Pro Kabaddi League Season 11 by UP Yoddhas, which was a dream come true for him. This selection came after he performed well in the Yuva Kabaddi Series. Ravi acknowledged that the Yuva Kabaddi Series played a big role in helping him get selected for the Pro Kabaddi League. He said, “Yuva Kabaddi played a big role in helping me get selected for the Pro Kabaddi League. I remember coaches from multiple teams used to come and watch me and other players play in the Yuva Kabaddi Series”. This shows how important young tournaments are for player development.

In his PKL debut with UP Yoddhas in Season 11 during 2024, Ravi played 1 match. Though he did not score points in that single match, just making his debut in the Pro Kabaddi League was a huge achievement. Following his PKL debut, Ravi was signed by U Mumba for Season 12 for INR 13 lacs. This move to U Mumba shows that professional teams still see great potential in this young defender and believe he can grow to become an important player for their squad.

One of Ravi’s greatest achievements is how he bounced back from being rejected for the state team competing at the Senior Nationals. Instead of giving up, he used that disappointment as fuel to work harder. He moved forward and eventually reached the Pro Kabaddi League, which is a much bigger stage than the state team. This shows his mental strength and ability to turn negative situations into positive outcomes.

Social Media Presence

Ravi Bhati maintains a presence on social media to connect with kabaddi fans and share his journey. His Instagram handle is @ravi_bhati_28. Although he has a modest follower count of around 1.9K followers, Ravi actively shares content related to his training, match moments, and motivational messages. Through social media, he keeps his fans updated about his professional career and personal life, making him accessible to his supporters.

Conclusion

Ravi Shivraj Bhati’s journey from a small village in Greater Noida to the Pro Kabaddi League is a story that shows the power of hard work and determination in sports. At just 23 years old, he has already overcome many challenges, including getting his parents to support his dream and facing rejection at the state level. His progression through the Yuva Kabaddi Series shows how important grassroots tournaments are in finding and developing young kabaddi talent.

Related posts:

Anil Kumar: Early Life, Domestic Career, UPKL Achievements, Social Media and More Uday Dabas: Early Life, Domestic Career, UPKL Achievements, Social Media and More Akash Nain: Early Life, Domestic Career, UPKL Achievements, Social Media and More UPKL Season 2: Lucknow Lions Squad, Players, and Team Overview