MaryellenBuckman at 12:30, 30 October 2025

2025-10-30T12:30:33Z

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{{Short description|Indian kabbadi player and coach}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{BLP sources|date=December 2016}}
{{More footnotes|date=December 2016}}
}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Baskaran
| image = Baskaran Wins World Cup 2016.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Baskaran Wins World Cup 2016
| headercolor =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| birth_name =
| fullname = Baskaran Kasinathan
| nickname =
| ethnicity =
| citizenship =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|06|28|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Sooliyakkottai]], [[Thanjavur district]], [[Madras State]] (now [[Tamil Nadu]]), [[India]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| residence =
| education = [[U.A.A.T Hr Sec School]], [[Ammapet]]
| alma_mater =
| occupation = [[Coach (sport)|Coach]], [[India national kabaddi team]]
| years_active = 1989–2002
| employer =
| agent =
| height = {{height|precision=0|m=1.85}}<ref>{{cite news|title=FROM OBSCURITY, KABADDI PLAYERS NOW REVEL IN STARDOM|url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/sports/others/From-obscurity-kabaddi-players-now-revel-in-stardom/articleshow/47695221.cms|accessdate=11 February 2016|work=[[Bangalore Mirror]]|date=17 June 2015}}</ref>
| weight = {{convert|95|kg|lb|0}}
| spouse =
| life_partner =
| other_interests =
| website = [https://www.facebook.com/baskaran.kasinathan.9]
| country = [[India]]
| sport = [[Kabaddi]]
| position = [[All Rounder]]
| event =
| league = [[Pro Kabaddi League]]
| league_type =
| club = [[Tamil Thalaivas]]
| team = [[India national kabaddi team]]
| turnedpro = 1988
| coach =
| retired =
| worlds =
| regionals =
| nationals =
| highestranking = World No. 1
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{IND}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Sports]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1994 Asian Games|1994 Hiroshima]]|[[Kabaddi at the 1994 Asian Games|Team]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1995 SAF Games|1995 Chennai]]|[[Kabaddi at the 1995 SAF Games|Team]]}}
}}
'''K. Baskaran''' or '''Baskaran Kasinathan''' (born 28 June 1968) is a professional [[Indian people|Indian]] [[Kabaddi]] sportsman who has represented Indian National Men's Kabaddi team in International games and is mentoring as a Kabaddi Coach. He has won national as well as international medals. He has been a professional coach for International teams and Kabaddi League franchises. He serves as a coach for the Indian National Men's Kabaddi team and the coach for the Pro Kabaddi franchise [[Bengal Warriors]].

He is an active sports enthusiast and apart from being a coach he also concentrates on identifying and training young athletes.

==Personal life==
K. Baskaran is the fourth child of Kasinathan Sittachiyar-Krishnammal couple born at Sooliyakottai, Tanjore in the Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. He studied at Government School of Sooliyakottai, Ammapettai Saliyamangalam. He graduated from Madurai Kamarajar University. He earned a degree as Specialist Coach from National Institute of Sports, Bangalore.

He started playing Kabaddi at age 12. He rose to fame when he represented the National Team and gained media attention since his association with the Indian Pro Kabaddi League as a coach and as a coach in the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://in.news.yahoo.com/interview-kasinathan-baskaran-teams-pro-145638117.html|title=Interview with Kasinathan Baskaran: "All the teams in the Pro Kabaddi League are the same this season"|access-date=2016-12-23}}</ref>

K. Baskran is married to B. Prabha and he has three children: son B. Soorya, a [[discus]] athlete and two daughters B. Neetaa and B. Neerajaa both of whom play [[basketball]].

==Achievements==
{| class="wikitable"
|+Top Achievements in National and International Levels
|-
! Competition !! Venue
!Year!! Position
|-
| Asian Games || Hiroshima, Japan
|1994|| Gold
|-
| Saf Games (captain) || Chennai, India
|1995|| Gold
|-
| Test Series (India vs Sri Lanka (captain) || Thanjavur, India
|1997|| First
|-
| Senior Nationals ||
|1993–1996|| 3 consecutive Gold
|-
| National Games || Pune
|1993|| Gold
|-
| All India Kabaddi Federation Cup ||
|1995|| Gold
|-
| Senior Nationals ||
|1996–1997|| Silver
|-
| National Games ||
|1997|| Bronze
|-
| Senior Nationals ||
|1996–1997|| Bronze
|}

==Player==
Baskaran was coached by Mr. Swaminathan and Mr. Shanmugasundaram during his school days. He was inspired to play Kabaddi by Raja Rajendran, a Tamil Nadu Kabaddi player and an employee of [[TNEB]]. He had participated in the Republic Day Sports Meet and placed 2nd in 1984–85 and 1st in 1985–86. In 1987 he was given an appointment in Sports Quota in Pandian Roadways Corporation, Madurai. From 1989 to 1992, he played for ICF Chennai and during 1992–98 he was an Inspector Central Excise Madurai. From 2003 to 2005 he played for Air India on a contract basis.

==Coach==
In 2004, Baskaran obtained a degree from the National Institute of Sports as a Specialist Coach. He was appointed as the Indian Coach for Junior Probables in Kabaddi in 2009. He rose to International attention during this period and was appointed as the Coach for Thailand National Kabaddi Team. In 2010 he coached the Malaysian National Kabaddi Team and was mainly associated with the preparation and selection process for the [[2010 Asian Games]]. In 2014 he mentored the Indian Men's Kabaddi team for the Beach Asian Games 2014 held in Thailand. The team secured the bronze medal in the event.

==Pro Kabaddi League==
In 2014 the Pro Kabaddi League began, a sports event for Kabaddi played among various Kabaddi franchises of India. K. Baskaran led the Pink Panthers franchise to its maiden victory at the inaugural event. He remained as the Pink Panthers coach from 2014 to 2016. He started coaching the Puneri Paltans franchise from 2016 and secured third place in season four.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportskeeda.com/kabaddi/interview-kasinathan-baskaran-all-teams-pro-kabaddi-league-same-season |title=Interview with Kasinathan Baskaran: "All the teams in the Pro Kabaddi League are the same this season" |website=Sportskeeda.com |date= |accessdate=2016-12-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportstarlive.com/kabaddi/will-government-announce-rewards-for-kabaddi-team/article9258449.ece |title=Will government announce rewards for Kabaddi team ? |website=Sportstarlive.com |date=2016-10-23 |accessdate=2016-12-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Nurtured-in-rural-Tamil-Nadu-kabaddi-players-make-a-mark-at-World-Cup/articleshow/54666386.cms |title=Tamil Nadu: Nurtured in rural Tamil Nadu, kabaddi players make a mark at World Cup |website=Timesofindia.indiatimes.com |date=2016-10-04 |accessdate=2016-12-14}}</ref> He was the head coach of Tamil Thalaivas in Pro Kabbadi 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prokabaddi.com/teams/29-tamil-thalaivas-teamprofile|title=Tamil Thalaivas Team 2021 | Player List, Name, Bio, Stats, Records, Squads – Pro Kabaddi|access-date=21 August 2017|archive-date=26 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626223314/http://www.prokabaddi.com/teams/29-tamil-thalaivas-teamprofile|url-status=dead}}</ref>

He was head coach for [[Vizag Whirlwinds]] in the [[Pro Kabaddi League]].

==World Cup==
India has an undisputed run as a champion in international Kabaddi matches. The 2016 Kabaddi World Cup was conducted among twelve nations. Baskaran acted as Coach for the Indian Men's team. The team went on to beat Iran in the finals and become champions for the third consecutive time.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baskaran, Kasinathan}}
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian male kabaddi players]]
[[Category:Kabaddi players from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:People from Thanjavur district]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists in kabaddi]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists for India]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1994 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Kabaddi players at the 1994 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Asian Games kabaddi players for India]]

Kasinatha Baskaran - Revision history

MaryellenBuckman at 12:30, 30 October 2025