Arjun Deshwal Biography: Early Life, Domestic Career, PKL Achievements, Social Media and More

Arjun Deshwal is one of the most successful Indian raiders in the Pro Kabaddi League. Popularly known as the “Raid Machine,” Arjun has built his career through strong performances in domestic kabaddi, the PKL and the Indian national team. His journey from Basera village in Uttar Pradesh to the biggest kabaddi stages has been filled with major milestones.

Arjun made his Pro Kabaddi debut with U Mumba in Season 6 and later became a star player for Jaipur Pink Panthers. He helped Jaipur win the PKL title in Season 9 and also won the Most Valuable Player award that season. By 2026, he has also added another major chapter to his career as a member of the Indian men’s kabaddi team at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

Arjun Deshwal Biography

Arjun Deshwal Early Life and Family

Arjun Deshwal was born on 7 July 1999 in Basera village of Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh. He grew up in a farming family, with his father Charan Singh Deshwal working as a farmer. His mother is Seema Deshwal, while his younger brother is named Aryan Deshwal.

During his childhood, Arjun was initially more interested in cricket. However, kabaddi was also popular in his village, and he often saw local players return from tournaments with medals and prizes. Slowly, his interest in the sport increased, and he started taking kabaddi more seriously. Pro Kabaddi’s profile on his career also says that he played cricket as a youngster before moving towards kabaddi.

Arjun started kabaddi training at around the age of 14. The early training was not easy for him because the sport required a strict routine and regular practice. At one stage, he even thought about quitting, but the support of his family and guidance from his coaches helped him stay with the game. His village coach Dharminder Singh and long-term coach Bhupinder Singh were important figures during his early development.

He completed his schooling in Basera and later continued his education in Meerut. Even while studying, kabaddi remained a major part of his daily life. His early years in village competitions slowly gave him the experience needed to take the next step into senior-level kabaddi.

Arjun Deshwal Domestic Kabaddi Career

Arjun’s domestic kabaddi career started while he was still a teenager. He represented his school in district-level competitions and entered the under-16 national-level circuit in 2015. During the same period, he was selected in the Uttar Pradesh under-19 setup and continued moving through different age groups.

By 2017, Arjun had started playing senior national-level kabaddi. His appearances for Uttar Pradesh and later the Services setup gave him an opportunity to compete against experienced players. These tournaments helped him gain more match experience before he entered the Pro Kabaddi League.

Another major step came when he joined the Indian Army through the sports quota. He attended trials in Roorkee and was selected after his kabaddi performances. His Army career gave him a structured environment for fitness and sport while also allowing him to continue playing competitive kabaddi.

Arjun’s domestic career remained closely connected with the Services team. He represented Services in national championships and continued building his record outside the PKL. His strong performances at the national level eventually helped him establish himself as one of the country’s leading raiders.

Arjun Deshwal PKL Career

Arjun Deshwal’s Pro Kabaddi League career began in 2018 with U Mumba in Season 6. His first year was difficult, as an injury limited him to only three matches and four raid points. However, the setback did not stop his progress, and he returned with a stronger performance in the next season.

PKL Season 6 – U Mumba

Arjun made his PKL debut for U Mumba in Season 6 in 2018. He played only three matches and scored four raid points. Although his first season was short, it gave him his first experience of the professional league.

PKL Season 7 – U Mumba

In Season 7, Arjun began to show the scoring form that would later become a major part of his game. He scored 104 raid points in 19 matches, along with two Super Raids and three Super 10s. This season helped him earn greater recognition in the PKL.

PKL Season 8 – Jaipur Pink Panthers

Jaipur Pink Panthers signed Arjun for ₹96 lakh in the Season 8 auction. The move turned out to be a major step in his career. He scored 267 raid points during the season and finished second on the overall raid-points chart behind Pawan Sehrawat.

The season also showed how quickly Arjun had developed as a high-scoring raider. His regular performances gave Jaipur confidence in him, and he entered the next season as one of the team’s main attacking players.

PKL Season 9 – Championship and MVP

Season 9 was the biggest breakthrough of Arjun’s early PKL career. Jaipur Pink Panthers retained him and he responded with 296 raid points in 24 matches, the highest total in the season. He also scored 17 Super 10s, another season-high.

Arjun’s performances played an important role in Jaipur Pink Panthers winning their second PKL title. At the end of the season, he was named the Most Valuable Player, giving him one of the most important individual awards in the league.

PKL Season 10 – Jaipur Pink Panthers

Arjun continued with Jaipur in Season 10 and again finished among the leading raiders. He scored 276 raid points in 23 matches, sharing the top position in the season’s raid-points chart with Ashu Malik.

During this period, Arjun also reached major career milestones. He became one of the fastest players to reach the 1,000-raid-point mark in PKL history. According to Pro Kabaddi, he reached 1,000 raid points in his 97th match and became the seventh player to enter the 1,000-raid-point club.

PKL Season 11 – Jaipur Pink Panthers

Season 11 saw Arjun maintain his high level of scoring. He finished with 227 raid points in 23 matches and remained Jaipur Pink Panthers’ captain. The season also included another major landmark when he crossed the 1,000 raid-point mark against UP Yoddhas.

He later crossed 1,100 raid points during a match against Telugu Titans in November 2024. That milestone showed how quickly his career numbers had grown since his debut in 2018.

PKL Season 12 – Tamil Thalaivas

For PKL Season 12 in 2025, Arjun moved away from Jaipur Pink Panthers after several successful seasons. Tamil Thalaivas bought him for ₹1.405 crore in the player auction. The team also signed Pawan Sehrawat, giving the Thalaivas two established Indian raiders.

Arjun finished Season 12 with 209 raid points in 18 matches and 11 Super 10s. His average of 11.61 raid points per match placed him third in the league’s Season 12 average raid-points chart.

Although his Season 12 total was lower than his 2024 campaign, he remained among the league’s leading scorers and added another full season to his growing PKL record. By the end of Season 12, his career had already crossed the 1,300-raid-point mark.

Arjun Deshwal PKL Career Stats

Current all-season statistical records list Arjun with 132 PKL matches and 1,383 raid points, along with 29 Super Raids and 74 Super 10s. The available record also lists 1,391 total points when his defensive points are included.

The older version of your article carried a 2025-era figure of 114 matches and 1,174 raid points. The updated 2026 record is therefore substantially higher after his full Season 12 campaign.

Arjun Deshwal Indian Kabaddi Team Career

Arjun Deshwal has also enjoyed success at the international level. He was part of India’s gold-medal-winning team at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, where India defeated Iran 33-29 in the men’s final. He also represented India at the 11th Asian Kabaddi Championship in 2023, where India won the gold medal.

His international career also brought recognition in Uttar Pradesh. In January 2024, Arjun was appointed Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in the Uttar Pradesh Police after India’s Asian Games gold-medal success. Reports also state that he received a ₹3 crore cash reward from the Uttar Pradesh government.

Arjun Deshwal at Asian Games 2026

The year 2026 added another major chapter to Arjun Deshwal’s international career. He was selected in India’s 12-member men’s kabaddi squad for the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The Indian men’s squad also includes Pawan Sehrawat, Aslam Inamdar, Ashu Malik, Ayan Lohchab, Devank Dalal, Sunil Kumar, Jaideep Dahiya, Rahul Sethpal, Sumit Sangwan, Gaurav Khatri and Ankit Jaglan.

The kabaddi competition is being held at the Tokai Citizens Gymnasium in Aichi Prefecture from 21 to 26 September 2026. India are in Group A alongside Japan, the Republic of Korea, Bangladesh and Chinese Taipei. The group stage ran from 21 to 24 September, followed by the semi-finals on 25 September and the men’s final on 26 September.

India opened the tournament with a 49-24 win over Japan, followed by a 63-31 victory against the Republic of Korea. They then defeated Bangladesh 48-25 to book their semi-final place and later completed a perfect Group A campaign with a 37-21 win over Chinese Taipei.

Arjun was involved in India’s group-stage campaign as one of the team’s raiding options. In the Bangladesh match, he came on in the second half in place of Devank Dalal. India had already built a 29-9 lead by half-time and went on to win the match 48-25.

As of 25 September 2026, India have completed four wins from four Group A matches and reached the men’s semi-finals. This means Arjun is now part of an Indian team that has moved into the knockout stage of the Asian Games 2026 kabaddi competition.

Arjun Deshwal Personal Life

Arjun has generally kept his private life away from the main focus of his public career. Most information available about him relates to kabaddi, his family, Army background and government appointment.

He remains closely connected with his village in Muzaffarnagar and has often spoken about the role of his family and coaches in his career. His early story, especially his move from cricket to kabaddi, remains an important part of his biography.

Arjun Deshwal Hobbies and Interests

According to the public information included in the earlier biography and other profile sources, Arjun enjoys cricket and has expressed admiration for former India captain MS Dhoni. He also likes travelling, with Mussoorie listed among his preferred destinations.

The same profile information lists Dal Makhani and Roti among his favourite foods and sweet lemon juice as a preferred drink. It also mentions his interest in motorcycles, including a Royal Enfield Bullet, along with running as a preferred form of exercise.

Arjun Deshwal Social Media

Arjun Deshwal is active on Instagram through the handle @kabaddiarjundeshwal. Public social-media tracking pages list the account under his name and describe the profile as belonging to an Indian kabaddi player and Deputy Superintendent of Police.

Arjun Deshwal Net Worth

There is no reliable public record that gives Arjun Deshwal’s exact net worth in 2026. Several websites publish estimated figures, but these numbers are not supported by official financial records, so they should not be treated as confirmed.

What can be confirmed is that Tamil Thalaivas bought Arjun for ₹1.405 crore in the PKL Season 12 auction. In addition, he has a government position as a Deputy Superintendent of Police and received a reported ₹3 crore reward for his Asian Games achievement in 2024.

Arjun Deshwal Major Achievements

Internationally, Arjun has already won Asian Games gold in 2022 and Asian Kabaddi Championship gold in 2023. In 2026, he returned to the Asian Games stage as part of India’s men’s squad at Aichi-Nagoya. By 25 September, India had won all four Group A matches and reached the semi-finals, giving Arjun another major international tournament appearance to add to his career record.