Dharmaraj Cheralathan is an Indian kabaddi player. He has played for Jaipur Pink Panthers, Haryana Steelers, U Mumba, Bengaluru Bulls, Puneri Paltan, Patna Pirates, Telugu Titans, and South Central Railway.
Wiki/Biography
Dharmaraj Cheralathan, also known as Anna, was born on Monday, 21 April 1975 (age 48 years; as of 2023) in Thiruchanampondi, Thanjavur, Tamilnadu, India. His zodiac is Taurus. He hails from a farming family in Tamil Nadu. While growing up, farming held the utmost importance to him. As his brother is also a farmer, Dharmaraj and his brother spent much of their early days working in the fields.
I started playing with the other boys in my village just for fun, without any set goal or objective. I never thought I would play for India, I never thought I would play for almost 30 years, I never thought I would be able to play in the world’s top kabaddi league at this age.”
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 9”
Weight (approx.): 78.6 kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Body Measurements (approx.): Chest: 40”, Waist: 32”, Biceps: 16”
Family
Parents & Siblings
His father is a farmer.
His mother is a housewife.
He has a brother named D Gopu, who is also a kabaddi player.
Dharamraj has two sisters.
Wife & Children
He is married and has a son.
Religion
He follows Hinduism.
Career
Pro Kabaddi League
Dharmaraj Cheralathan began his Pro Kabaddi League journey with Bengaluru Bulls in the first season. He scored 39 tackle points and 13 raid points with a tackle strike rate of 56.52%. In the second season, he continued to lead Bengaluru Bulls’ defense. He achieved 42 tackle points, 19 raid points, and a tackle strike rate of 61.76%.
In the subsequent season, Cheralathan moved to Telugu Titans and scored 31 tackle points. Although his tackle success rate saw a slight dip, he maintained an average tackle strike rate of over 50%. Patna Pirates acquired Cheralathan for the fourth season and this time he was appointed as their captain. He scored 39 tackle points and led the Pirates to back-to-back league titles. Additionally, he topped the Super Tackles chart in the fourth season with 8 successful tackles to his name.
For the following season, Cheralathan joined Puneri Paltan. He only managed 25 tackle points in 18 games. He failed to score more than 4 points in any of those matches. However, his performance took a positive turn after he joined U Mumba in 2018. He achieved an impressive 40 tackle points. His tackle strike rate remained at 57.97%, and one of his standout performances was a defensive masterclass during U Mumba’s victory over Gujarat Fortunegiants in Delhi.
International Career
Throughout his International career, he has achieved an impressive total of nine gold medals from various prestigious events. Notably, he has won the Kabaddi National Championship. In addition, he won gold medals at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games and the Asian Beach Games.
I never think on the lines of how long I can continue playing. As long as my performances are as per the expectations of my team and myself, as long as I keep myself fit to play the sport, I will keep playing. The moment it drops, I will realize it myself.”
Awards, Honours, Achievements
- VIVO Pro Kabaddi Champion (2016)
- 2016 Kabaddi World Cup winner
- Gold at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games
- Gold at the 2017 Asian Beach Games
Salary
Dharmaraj Cheralathan was sold at high figures in the following PKL Auctions.
- Pro Kabaddi Season 8 – Jaipur Pink Panthers – 20.00 L (SOLD)
- Pro Kabaddi Season 7 – Haryana Steelers – 38.50 L (SOLD)
- Pro Kabaddi Season 6 – U Mumba – 46.00 L (SOLD)
- Pro Kabaddi Season 5 – Puneri Paltan – 46.00 L (SOLD)
- Pro Kabaddi Season 4 – Patna Pirates – 29.00 L (SOLD)
Total Amount: Rs. 1,79,50,000
Favorites
Food: Idli, Dosa
Sport: Cricket, Football
Actors: Rajnikanth, Kamal Hassan
Hobbies: Books, Movies
Facts/Trivia
- He is the oldest player to have won the Pro Kabaddi League. He won with Patna Pirates in Season 4 at the age of 39.
- He is a member of the Kabaddi Hall of Fame.
- He is a fitness enthusiast and follows a strict diet and exercise regime.
Fitness is the biggest thing in kabaddi. If you’re not fit, you can’t do anything in our sport. Whenever I go to any camp, my primary objective is fitness. Yes, practice is also important, but fitness has become a compulsion for me now. I have to look after little things, for example, that my weight doesn’t increase, or that my reflexes don’t slow down. If I am able to play at this age, and for this long, it is only because I am able to control these things. Otherwise, I would’ve been home now.”
- Dharmaraj has been working for the Indian Railways since 1997 and is a part of the Railways Sports Promotional Board Kabaddi team. He has been playing with them for 24 years and had a recent victory at the 67th Senior National Kabaddi Championships in March 2020 held in Jaipur. He works in the South Central Railway division.
- After his retirement, Dharmaraj has a plan to start organic farming. He is known for his disciplined approach to diet and even cooks his meals during tours. Additionally, he has a vision to establish playgrounds for young talents to practice Kabaddi.