Rohit Kumar, popularly known as “Akki” and famous for his signature Frog Jump raiding technique, is one of the most recognisable names from the early years of the Pro Kabaddi League. A Season 3 debutant who went on to captain Bengaluru Bulls to a PKL title, he built a reputation as one of the league’s most consistent scorers of his era. Since many fans search specifically to confirm his exact age and birth year, this article opens with that answer before covering his complete biography, career and achievements.
Who is Rohit Kumar Kabaddi?
Rohit Kumar, full name Rohit Kumar Chillar, is an Indian professional kabaddi player who plays as a raider. Born in the kabaddi hub of Nizampur in Haryana’s Panipat district, he made an immediate impact upon entering the Pro Kabaddi League in Season 3, winning the Most Valuable Player award in his debut campaign with Patna Pirates. He went on to spend the bulk of his career with Bengaluru Bulls, whom he captained to the PKL Season 6 title, before later spells with Telugu Titans and Gujarat Giants.
Known across the league for his trademark Frog Jump, a raiding move in which he leaps over defenders, touches one or more of them in mid-air, and lands safely beyond their reach, Rohit built a reputation as one of the PKL’s most exciting and consistent raiders through the league’s early seasons. He has also represented India internationally, winning gold at the 2016 South Asian Games.
Quick Profile of Rohit Kumar Kabaddi
| Full Name | Rohit Kumar Chillar |
| Nickname | Akki / Rohit Akki |
| Date of Birth | January 19, 1990 |
| Age (as of 2026) | 36 years old |
| Birthplace | Nizampur, Panipat, Haryana, India |
| Sport | Kabaddi |
| Playing Position | Raider |
| Height | 6 ft (183 cm) |
| Weight | 80 kg |
| Signature Move | Frog Jump |
| PKL Debut | Season 3 (2016), Patna Pirates |
| PKL Teams | Patna Pirates, Bengaluru Bulls, Telugu Titans, Gujarat Giants |
| Major PKL Honour | Season 3 Most Valuable Player; PKL champion as captain of Bengaluru Bulls, Season 6 |
| International Honour | Gold medal, 2016 South Asian Games |
| Nationality | Indian |
Early Life and Childhood
Rohit Kumar was born and raised in Nizampur, a village in Panipat district, Haryana, that has long been regarded as something of a kabaddi hub, having produced other well known names in the sport such as Manjeet Chhillar, Mohit Chhillar and Rakesh Kumar. Growing up around these established players gave Rohit both inspiration and belief that he too could build a career in kabaddi.
Birth, Age and Hometown
| Date of Birth | January 19, 1990 |
| Current Age (2026) | 36 years old |
| Birthplace | Nizampur, Panipat district, Haryana, India |
Family Background
| Father | Vijay Kumar Chillar, a national level kabaddi player himself |
| Cousin | Manjeet Chhillar, also a professional kabaddi player |
| Family Sporting Background | Grew up in Nizampur alongside other established kabaddi names including Mohit Chhillar and Rakesh Kumar |
| Other Affiliation | Associated with the Indian Navy since 2009 |
Education and Early Interests
Detailed information about Rohit Kumar’s formal schooling has not been widely published. What is well documented is that, growing up in Nizampur, he was surrounded by kabaddi from a young age, with his own father having played the sport at the national level and encouraging him through his early setbacks and struggles on his path to a professional career.
How Rohit Kumar Started Playing Kabaddi
Rohit Kumar’s introduction to kabaddi came naturally through his family and his hometown environment, given that his father was a national level player and his cousin Manjeet Chhillar was also pursuing the sport professionally. Watching and learning from senior players from his hometown, including Manjeet Chhillar, Mohit Chhillar and Rakesh Kumar, gave him the confidence and technical grounding to believe he could reach the same heights in the sport, a belief that was eventually realised through his selection for the Pro Kabaddi League.
Professional Kabaddi Career
Rohit Kumar made an immediate impression when he entered the Pro Kabaddi League in Season 3 (2016) with Patna Pirates, scoring 109 raid points across 12 matches and earning the Most Valuable Player award in his very first season. Later that year, he moved to Bengaluru Bulls for the Season 4 leg of the same calendar year, where he would go on to spend the majority of his career and establish himself as one of the franchise’s most important players.
His best individual PKL season statistically came in Season 5 (2017), where he scored 231 points from 22 matches, including 12 Super 10s, and set a league record by becoming the first player to score more than 30 raid points in a single match, registering 32 raid points against UP Yoddha. Bengaluru Bulls rewarded his consistency and leadership by naming him captain from Season 6 (2018), a campaign in which he led the franchise to the PKL title, scoring 171 points across 24 matches that season. He continued to feature prominently for Bengaluru Bulls in Season 7 (2019), before later, reduced spells with Telugu Titans in Season 8 (2021) and Gujarat Giants in Season 9 (2022).
Kabaddi Career stats
Rohit Kumar’s PKL statistics are well documented across his career, given that his seasons span some of the league’s earliest, most closely tracked years. The table below reflects his season by season and total career record.
| Season 3 (2016), Patna Pirates | 12 matches, 109 points, MVP award |
| Season 4 (2016), Bengaluru Bulls | 14 matches, 100 points |
| Season 5 (2017), Bengaluru Bulls | 22 matches, 231 points, 12 Super 10s; first player to score 30-plus raid points in a single match (32 points vs UP Yoddha) |
| Season 6 (2018), Bengaluru Bulls | 24 matches, 171 points; captained the team to the PKL title |
| Season 7 (2019), Bengaluru Bulls | 19 matches, 100 points |
| Season 8 (2021), Telugu Titans | 8 matches, 18 points |
| Season 9 (2022), Gujarat Giants | 2 matches, 1 point |
| Career Totals | 101 matches, 683 raid points, 47 tackle points, 730 total points, 26 Super 10s, 78.89% Not Out rate |
Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Journey
Rohit Kumar’s PKL career began with a bang, a Most Valuable Player winning debut season with Patna Pirates in Season 3. His move to Bengaluru Bulls later that year began an association that would come to define his career, culminating in the captaincy from Season 6 and a PKL title win that same season. His record breaking 32 point raiding performance in Season 5 remains one of the standout individual displays from that era of the league.
As his career progressed into Seasons 8 and 9, his playing time reduced considerably, featuring in just 8 matches for Telugu Titans and only 2 for Gujarat Giants, a decline in game time that is common for raiders as they move past the peak years of their careers. He has not featured prominently in PKL squads in the most recent seasons, and no fresh franchise signing or on-field return has been widely reported since his brief Gujarat Giants stint, suggesting his active playing career has substantially wound down, though no formal retirement announcement appears to have been made public.
| Team | Seasons | Key Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Patna Pirates | Season 3 (2016) | Debut season MVP, 109 points |
| Bengaluru Bulls | Season 4 to Season 7 (2016-2019) | PKL champion as captain, Season 6; record 32-point single match haul, Season 5 |
| Telugu Titans | Season 8 (2021) | Reduced role, 18 points in 8 matches |
| Gujarat Giants | Season 9 (2022) | Limited appearances, 1 point in 2 matches |
Playing Style and Strengths
Rohit Kumar built his reputation on pace, agility and his signature Frog Jump, a raiding technique where he would push off the ground, make contact with one or more defenders while airborne, and land beyond their reach before safely dodging back to his own half. This combination of athleticism and technique made him a constant threat against even well set defences during his peak seasons. His high career Not Out percentage of 78.89 percent further reflects his ability to raid effectively while limiting how often he was tackled out, a hallmark of a smart, calculated raider rather than a purely high risk one.
Major Records and Achievements
| Achievement | Detail |
|---|---|
| PKL Season 3 MVP | Won in his debut season, scoring 109 points for Patna Pirates |
| PKL Title as Captain | Led Bengaluru Bulls to the championship in Season 6 (2018) |
| Single Match Raiding Record | First PKL player to score more than 30 raid points in a single match, with 32 against UP Yoddha in Season 5 |
| Career Points | 730 total career points across 101 matches |
| Career Super 10s | 26 Super 10s |
| International Honour | Gold medal at the 2016 South Asian Games with India |
| Other International Selections | Asian Kabaddi Championship squads (2017, 2018), Kabaddi Masters Dubai (2018), Asian Games squad (2018) |
Awards and Recognition
Rohit Kumar’s standout individual honour is the Most Valuable Player award he won in PKL Season 3, an immediate mark of recognition in his very first professional season. His captaincy of Bengaluru Bulls to the Season 6 PKL title stands as his most significant team achievement, cementing his reputation not just as a scorer but as a leader capable of guiding a franchise to a championship. His selection for India’s gold medal winning squad at the 2016 South Asian Games added international recognition to his growing list of accomplishments at that stage of his career.
| Award / Honour | Year | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| PKL Most Valuable Player | Season 3 (2016) | Debut season with Patna Pirates |
| PKL Champion (as Captain) | Season 6 (2018) | With Bengaluru Bulls |
| South Asian Games Gold Medal | 2016 | Guwahati and Shillong, with the Indian national kabaddi team |
Challenges and Comebacks
Like many kabaddi players from Haryana’s competitive local scene, Rohit Kumar had to work through early setbacks on his path to the PKL, relying on the encouragement of his father, a former national level player, to keep pushing toward a professional career. Once established in the league, his biggest on-field challenge came in maintaining the extremely high standards he set for himself early on, particularly after his record breaking Season 5 campaign, a level of output that naturally becomes harder to sustain as a raider’s career progresses. His playing time declined sharply during his final PKL seasons with Telugu Titans and Gujarat Giants, a common late career challenge for raiders as franchises turn to younger, developing talent, though his earlier peak seasons with Bengaluru Bulls remain the defining highlight of his career.
Life Beyond Kabaddi
Away from the kabaddi mat, Rohit Kumar has been associated with the Indian Navy since 2009, a connection that reflects a path taken by a number of Indian kabaddi players who combine sporting careers with service or departmental employment. He is known to be a huge fan of Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, reportedly having Akshay’s face tattooed on his arm along with the word “Akki” inked on his neck, a nod to his own popular nickname. He has also spoken about enjoying travelling and listening to music in his time away from competitive kabaddi.
Wife, Relationships and Personal Life
Rohit Kumar has not publicly disclosed detailed information about his marital status or personal relationships. Public coverage of his life to date has focused primarily on his kabaddi career, his family’s sporting background and his associations, such as his connection to the Indian Navy, rather than his romantic relationships. In the absence of information he has confirmed himself, this article does not speculate on his personal life.
Net Worth, Salary and Income Sources
Rohit Kumar’s exact net worth has not been officially disclosed, though some sources estimate it in the range of Rs 8 to 15 crore; this figure is not independently verified and should be treated as an unverified estimate rather than confirmed fact. What is documented is his PKL auction history, he was sold for INR 81 lakh ahead of Season 5, INR 89.10 lakh ahead of Season 6, and INR 36 lakh to Telugu Titans ahead of Season 8, with his total known auction earnings across his career estimated at a minimum of INR 2.061 crore. His broader income is understood to come from these PKL contracts, along with any allowances tied to his association with the Indian Navy and his representation of India internationally.
Social Media Presence
Rohit Kumar is active on social media, where he continues to engage with fans who have followed his career since his breakout Season 3 campaign. He is verified on Instagram under the handle @rohit.c.akki, where his bio describes him as a professional kabaddi player representing Team India, and where he has built a following of over 210K followers. He also maintains an official Facebook “Rohit Kumar” with over 229K followers, where he has described kabaddi as more than just a game and thanked fans for their continued support.
Interesting Facts You May Not Know About Rohit Kumar
| Fact |
| He won the PKL Most Valuable Player award in his very first professional season, Season 3. |
| He was the first player in PKL history to score more than 30 raid points in a single match, with 32 points against UP Yoddha in Season 5. |
| He captained Bengaluru Bulls to the PKL title in Season 6, the year after his record breaking individual season. |
| His father, Vijay Kumar Chillar, was a national level kabaddi player who supported him through his early career struggles. |
| His cousin, Manjeet Chhillar, is also a professional kabaddi player. |
| He has been associated with the Indian Navy since 2009. |
| He is a huge fan of Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar and is reported to have Akshay’s face tattooed on his arm along with “Akki” inked on his neck. |
| He won gold with India at the 2016 South Asian Games in Guwahati and Shillong. |
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Rohit Kumar the kabaddi player?
Rohit Kumar Chillar was born on January 19, 1990, which makes him 36 years old as of 2026.
Where is Rohit Kumar from?
He is from Nizampur, a village in Panipat district, Haryana, India, known as something of a local kabaddi hub.
Which PKL teams has Rohit Kumar played for?
He has played for Patna Pirates, Bengaluru Bulls, Telugu Titans and Gujarat Giants across his PKL career, with the bulk of his career and his greatest success coming with Bengaluru Bulls.
Did Rohit Kumar win a PKL title?
Yes, he captained Bengaluru Bulls to the PKL title in Season 6 (2018).
What is Rohit Kumar’s signature move in kabaddi?
His signature move is the Frog Jump, a raiding technique in which he leaps over defenders, makes contact with them mid-air, and lands safely beyond their reach.
What records does Rohit Kumar hold in the PKL?
He was the first player in PKL history to score more than 30 raid points in a single match, registering 32 points against UP Yoddha in Season 5.
Conclusion
Rohit Kumar’s career stands as one of the defining stories from the early years of the Pro Kabaddi League, a Most Valuable Player debut season, a record breaking 32 point raiding performance, and a title winning campaign as Bengaluru Bulls’ captain, all achieved within his first six seasons in the league. Now 36 years old, with his playing time having reduced considerably in his final PKL seasons, Rohit Kumar’s peak years with Bengaluru Bulls remain a benchmark for the kind of consistent, high scoring raiding that helped shape the PKL’s growing popularity in its formative years.
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