"I couldn't officiate in Season 7 because my employer didn't allow me to officiate"- PKL 2023 referee Damayanti Boro narrates her Kabaddi dream
Damayanti Boro comes from the Northeast part of India and is currently living her dream of officiating in the Pro Kabaddi League. Boro serves as the Kabaddi coach in Guwahati, and has been leading the charge in Kabaddi in the northeast for many years now.
However, ahead of the PKL 2023 season, Damayanti Boro lived her dream of officiating in the Pro Kabaddi League tournament. Boro would have been officiating much earlier in 2019 as she had been selected in the referee selection camp conducted by PKL in Assam. However, things didn't turn out as expected.
"The Pro Kabaddi League conducted a referee selection camp in Assam in 2019 and I got selected for PKL during the camp," Boro said. "I went for a workshop in Mumbai as well, but I couldn't officiate in Season 7 because my employer at the time didn't allow me to officiate in PKL."
Damayanti Boro started her career as a Kabaddi player and represented in several national events. However, she couldn’t progress further and decided to take up the coaching duties.
"My elder brother was a javelin thrower and I used to go to the ground with him. I was in the sixth standard at that time," Boro added. 'Then I saw a few girls practice kabaddi on the field. Then I joined them too as an SAI trainee. Thereafter I took part in State and National competitions, but I couldn't play in international tournaments."
Post her playing career, she passed an exam conducted by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India in 2015 to become a professional Kabaddi coach in 2015.
"I am primarily a kabaddi coach. I am currently working with the Assam Government in Guwahati," Boro said. "But, I always had an interest in officiating. So I have been officiating in some domestic tournaments whenever I receive an opportunity."
Damayanti Boro lived her dream of officiating in PKL in the 10th season
After being denied to officiate in 2019, the opportunity once again came her way ahead of the 2023 PKL season and Boro grabbed that with both hands this time.
"I attained a job as a kabaddi coach in the Assam Government in July 2023 and then I received an opportunity to officiate in the Pro Kabaddi League once again," Boro added. "This time my employer allowed me to officiate in PKL and therefore I am here. I would like to thank Mashal Sports for this opportunity."
Currently, she is doing two jobs simultaneously. When not officiating in the ongoing season of PKL, Boro goes back to coaching Kabaddi players in Guwahati.
"So currently, I am officiating in alternate venues in PKL Season 10. When I am not officiating in PKL Season 10, I go back to my coaching job in Guwahati," signed off Boro.
Talking about PKL season 10, as many as 66 matches have been held and Puneri Paltans continues to lead the points table with nine wins in 10 matches. Dabang Delhi is sitting in the second spot with seven wins, followed by Gujarat Giants, Jaipur Pink Panthers, and U Mumba at the third, fourth, and fifth positions, respectively.