Manjeet Chhillar, a former Indian professional kabaddi athlete, served as a defender for the Indian national team. During his career, he played for notable Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) franchises such as Bengaluru Bulls, Puneri Paltan, Jaipur Pink Panthers, Tamil Thalaivas, and Dabang Delhi. In 2022, he transitioned to a coaching role as the assistant coach for the Telugu Titans franchise, ahead of the league’s ninth season.
Wiki/Biography
Manjeet Chhillar was born on Monday, 18 August 1986 (37 years old; as of 2023) in Nizampur, a suburb of Delhi, India. His zodiac sign is Leo. In an interview by Hindustan Times in 2014, Manjeet discussed the importance of the legacy of playing the sport, stating:
Kabaddi has been passed down from generation to generation in our village. I learned it from my seniors and now I am teaching it to my juniors. This is one of the reasons why we continue to live in the village; if we move out, who will teach the younger generation? It is our responsibility to carry forward the kabaddi tradition of the village.”
Manjeet attended Kirori Mal College in Delhi. In 2008, he joined the Indian Railways and subsequently trained under esteemed kabaddi coach Randhir Singh Sehrawat.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 8″
Weight (approx.): 82 kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Body Measurements (approx.): Chest: 44″, Waist: 34″, Biceps: 17″
Family
Manjeet Chhillar was born into a Jat family based in the Jatwara Mohalla neighborhood of Bahadurgarh, Haryana.
Parents & Siblings
Manjeet Chhillar’s late father, Jai Prakash, served as a police officer in Haryana. His mother’s name is Nirmala Devi.
Manjeet Chillar with his father
A picture of Manjeet with his mother
He has three siblings, Sandeep Chhillar (elder), Ashish Chhillar, and Virender Chhillar.
Manjeet with his elder brother Sandeep
Wife & Children
On March 7, 2015, Manjeet Chhillar married Hanisha Chhillar, who is also known as Vinni.
A wedding picture of Manjeet with his wife
The couple has a daughter named Manvi Chillar (b. September 21, 2018.)
Manjeet Singh’s daughter Manvi Chillar
Religion
He follows Hinduism. 1
Career
Position: Left Defender
League: Pro Kabbadi League
Debut: Asian Games, China (2010); Bengaluru Bulls (2014)
Coached By: Randhir Singh Sehrawat and Balwan Singh
Teams Played For: Dabang Delhi KC (2021), Northern Railways, Tamil Thalaivas (2018-2020), Jaipur Pink Panthers (2017), Puneri Paltan (2016-2017), Bengaluru Bulls (2014-2015)
Coach: Telugu Titans
International
Manjeet Chhillar played an instrumental role in the Indian kabaddi team’s numerous achievements. In 2009, he was part of the team that secured the gold medal in indoor kabaddi at the Asian Indoor Games, triumphing over Iran in the final match. Continuing their success, the team captured another gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games held in Nansha Gymnasium, Guangzhou, China. Chhillar also represented India in beach kabaddi at the 2012 Asian Beach Games, where the team earned a bronze medal.
Manjeet Chhillar during the 2012 Asian Beach Games
Later, he was part of the Indian team that won the 2014 Asian Games and the 2014 Asian Indoor Games in Incheon.
Manjeet Chhillar with his team in Asia Games 2014
During the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup in Ahmedabad, Chhillar played a key role in the Indian team’s victory against Iran with a final score of 38-29. Lastly, he contributed to the team’s gold medal win in the 2018 Dubai Kabaddi Masters, where India defeated Iran 44-26 in the inaugural edition of the tournament.
Pro Kabaddi League
During the inaugural season of the Pro Kabaddi League in 2014, Manjeet Chhillar captained the Bengaluru Bulls team.
Manjeet Chhillar in the Bengaluru Bulls jersey
With an impressive 51 tackle points, he earned the title of Star Sports Defender of the Tournament, while also amassing 71 raid points throughout the season. In the Pro Kabaddi League’s second season, Manjeet Chhillar once again represented the Bengaluru Bulls, accumulating 40 tackle points and 67 raid points.
Manjeet Chhillar playing for Bengaluru Bulls against the Puneri Paltan in Pro Kabaddi season 1
During the third season, he captained the Puneri Paltan, guiding the team to a third-place finish. Throughout this season, Chhillar scored the highest number of tackle points (61) and successful tackles (56). In Season 4, he continued playing for Puneri Paltan, breaking the all-time record for most tackle points (11) in a single Pro Kabaddi match against Bengaluru Bulls.
Manjeet Chhillar as a captain of Puneri Paltan
Chhillar was appointed as the captain of the Jaipur Pink Panthers for Season 5.
Manjeet Chhillar playing for the Jaipur Pink Panthers
In the subsequent season, he played for the Tamil Thalaivas, securing 59 tackle points and 8 raid points. Manjeet Chhillar continued playing for the Tamil Thalaivas in the following season as well.
Manjeet Chhillar playing for Tamil Thalaivas
Prior to the eighth season of the Pro Kabaddi League, Manjeet Chhillar was acquired by Dabang Delhi for INR 20 lakh during the auction. His contributions played a vital role in the team securing its first-ever championship title. Over the course of the season, Chhillar garnered 52 tackle points in 24 games. In 2022, he transitioned to a coaching role as the assistant coach for the Telugu Titans franchise, ahead of the league’s ninth season.
Manjeet Chhillar as an assistant coach for the Telugu Titans
Playing Statistics
Raiding
- Matches Played: 135
- Total Raids: 726
- Raid Points: 226
- Avg. Time on Mat (%): 49.83
- Avg. Out Rate (%): 29.95
- Avg. Strike Rate (%): 40.61
- Effective Points: 75
Tackling
- Matches Played: 135
- Main Tackles: 746
- Tackle Points: 379
- Avg. Time on Mat (%): 52.57
- Avg. Out Rate (%): 51.28
- Avg. Strike Rate (%): 53.63
- Avg. Success Assists (%): 44
Controversy
Allegations of Obtaining Cash Award from Haryana Sports Ministry
In 2016, the Haryana Sports Ministry initiated a vigilance investigation against kabaddi players Manjeet Chhillar and Rakesh Kumar. The inquiry was launched following allegations that the two athletes had falsely presented themselves as Haryana residents in order to obtain a cash award of INR 2 crore from the state. Manjeet and Rakesh claimed the cash award during a ceremony in Panchkula on August 11, 2015, after submitting applications to the Jhajjar District Sports Officer, asserting their Haryana residency.
Anil Vij, the State Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, discovered that the players lacked the necessary documentation to substantiate their claims and failed to attend subsequent inquiry committee meetings. While Vij stated that “Manjeet could not prove that he has stayed in Haryana for 15 years,” Manjeet maintained his innocence, asserting that,
All my ID proofs are of my village Jatwara near Bhadurgarh and we applied through the District Sports Officer of Jhajjar district last year. I played for Haryana even in the Inter-University Championships from 2005-2008. My father Jai Prakash died four months prior to his retirement from Haryana Police in 2012 and the then Haryana government had offered me a job also. But we did not get NOC from Railways at that time. Many Indian players who belong to their respective states have to play in the tournaments from their employers.”
Awards
- Arjuna Award (2015)
Manjeet Chillar receiving Arjuna Award from President Pranab Mukherjee
- Most Valuable Player in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) (2015)
Medals
- Gold medal at the 2009 Asian Indoor Games in Hanoi, Vietnam
- Gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games in Nansha Gymnasium, Guangzhou, China
Manjeet’s gold medal in the 2010 Asian Games
- Gold medals at the National Championships in 2010, 2011, and 2012
- Bronze medal at 2012 Asian Beach Games Haiyang, China
- Gold medal at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea
- Gold medal at the 2014 Asian Indoor Games in Incheon, South Korea
- Gold in National Games, Kerela
Manjeet’s gold medal in National Games, 2015
- Won the title at the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup in Ahmedabad, India
2016 World Kabaddi Winner
- Gold medal at the 2018 Dubai Kabaddi Masters in United Arab Emirates
Favourites
- Food: Aloo paratha with curd
- TV series: Mirzapur
Car Collection
He has a Mahindra Thar.
A Mahindra Thar owned by Manjeet
Manjeet owns a Ford Endeavour.
Manjeet with his Ford Endeavour
He also owns a Mahindra XUV300 W6.
Manjeet Chillar’s Mahindra XUV300 W6
Properties
He owns a house in his village Nizampur.
Manjeet Chillar’s house
Facts/Trivia
- Initially, Manjeet pursued a career in wrestling during which he experienced a setback due to a nose injury, which prompted him to return to his village and engage in kabaddi with the local children. In an interview, Abdul Hameed, a fellow wrestler and long-time friend of Manjeet, shared this story, stating:
He wanted to be a wrestler, but while practising with us at an akhara, he got hurt and came back and took up kabaddi; but I think he would have been equally successful as a wrestler.”
- He was coached by Randhir Singh Sehrawat (Arjuna Award Winner) and Balwan Singh (Dronyacharya Award winner.)
Manjeet with his coach Balwan Singh
A picture of Manjeet with Randhir Singh Sehrawat
- Throughout his illustrious career, Manjeet Chhillar was bestowed with several monikers, such as “One Man Army,” 2 “Angry Young Man,” “Mighty Manjeet,” and “Powerhouse.”
- Manjeet Chhillar’s father passed away four months before his scheduled retirement from the Haryana Police in 2012. Following his father’s demise, the Haryana government offered Manjeet a job opportunity, but he was unable to accept it due to the absence of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Railways at the time.
- Manjeet Chhillar has made a record of being the only captain who has been a part of all 4 Semi-Finals of the Pro Kabaddi League.
- Soon after making his debut in the Pro Kabaddi League, he emerged as one of the prominent figures of the league.
- On one occasion, Manjeet’s brother disclosed that Manjeet weighed 62 kg when the junior national team selection was announced. To meet the 50 kg weight eligibility for the tournament, Manjeet successfully shed 12 kg within a month, securing his place on the junior kabaddi team.
- In an interview, Manjeet’s teammate Ajay Thakur shared that Chhillar is particularly fashion-conscious and enjoys shopping. In 2016, he also walked the ramp for iFFD fashion week. Manjeet has also done endorsements for fashion brands like D’Cot.
Manjeet walking the ramp in a fashion show
- Manjeet is a music enthusiast, and in his leisure time, he loves to play the guitar.
Manjeet playing the guitar
- He is a huge animal lover and even owns a pet dog named Tyson.
Manjeet with his pet dog Tyson
- His hobbies include swimming and hitting the gym to keep himself fit.
A picture of Manjeet Chhillar swimming
Manjeet Chillar working out
