Rohit Shokeen on Sports Politics and the Struggles Athletes Face

Rohit Shokeen has represented India on the international stage, but his journey to that point was far from easy. From facing fear inside an academy to competing abroad, he opens up about his sporting journey, family support and his new life creating comedy content.

Rohit Shokeen’s journey is not just about medals and international tournaments. His story also carries years of pressure, fear, setbacks and a decision to keep moving forward.

In a conversation with Peddler Media on For Haryanvi, By Haryanvi, Rohit spoke about his journey from playing lawn tennis to taking up Taekwondo, representing India at international competitions and eventually finding a new creative side through social media.

From Lawn Tennis to Taekwondo

Rohit started his sporting journey with lawn tennis. He even won a national gold medal in the cadet category before his family decided to switch his sport.

His grandfather felt Taekwondo could be useful not only as a sport but also as a form of self-defence. That decision eventually changed the direction of Rohit’s life.

The beginning, however, was not easy. After joining a new academy, Rohit says he experienced an environment that left him scared to experiment and grow. He recalls being constantly afraid of getting hurt and says the pressure affected his confidence as an athlete.

At one point, he suffered a serious back injury, with his L3, L4 and L5 vertebrae becoming displaced. He says almost two years of his journey were affected by it.

New Environment Changed Rohit Shokeen Mindset

Things started changing after Rohit was selected for the SAI Olympic Centre in Bengaluru. There, he got the opportunity to train around Olympians and experience a completely different sporting environment.

For Rohit, one of the biggest lessons was learning to expose himself, practise without fear and stop worrying about being judged.

He says the new environment helped him slowly recover from the fear that had built up earlier. A supportive coach also encouraged him to speak more and be himself, something he says helped him move past his introverted phase.

Representing India Was His Dream

Rohit eventually travelled internationally for competitions, including Dubai, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, China and Bhutan. His latest achievement discussed in the podcast was representing India at the World University Games 2025 in Germany.

For him, wearing the Indian blazer was especially emotional because it had been a dream shared by his father, grandfather and uncle.

He also spoke about competing despite having undergone surgery. He finished fifth and sixth in competitions and won fights along the way, which he considers a major achievement given everything he had gone through.

Also Read:- Watan Rao on Stand-Up Comedy, Struggle and Haryanvi Culture

Rohit also spoke openly about his experience with sports politics. He claimed that politics can play a major role at the state level, saying the focus can sometimes shift from the athlete to the coach and their preferred players.

According to him, this can make it difficult for talented athletes to move forward. He also described how he later came to understand the commercial side of sports, including fees connected with academies, belts and tournament travel. These experiences changed how he looked at the system around athletes.

From Athlete to Content Creator

Sports is no longer the only part of Rohit’s life. He has also started creating comedy videos with his Bua, using everyday family situations as content.

Their first video was reportedly made without a microphone and was largely unplanned. It eventually received around one lakh views on YouTube, encouraging them to continue making videos.

Since then, they have created around 30–40 videos and started receiving both positive and negative comments.

Rohit says most of their content comes from relatable moments at home. The comedy is built around their natural conversations, family interactions and the situations they experience themselves.

Also Read:- Sunil Balhara on Haryanvi Music Industry and Studio Culture

A New Side of Rohit

The shift from athlete to content creator has also given Rohit a different way to connect with people.

He says his sports background already gave him reach among fellow athletes through social media. Now, he wants to explore life as a comedian, blogger and creator while showing relatable moments from his home and village.

His family’s animals have also become part of that content, with cows and buffaloes becoming familiar characters in their videos.

Keeping Haryana’s Culture in Focus

During the conversation, Rohit also shared his thoughts on Haryana. He described Haryana as a place with a strong culture but said he does not support the image of the state being promoted only through violence, abuse or criminality.

For him, Haryana has many sides, and the positive parts of its culture should also be shown. The conversation also touched on traditional songs, family values and how changing lifestyles are affecting cultural practices.

A Journey Still Moving Forward

Rohit Shokeen’s story has moved through several different phases — from lawn tennis to Taekwondo, from difficult academy experiences to representing India internationally, and now from competitive sport to content creation.

His sporting journey taught him how to deal with setbacks. His experiences also changed the way he looks at coaches, competition and the system around athletes.

Now, he is exploring another side of himself through comedy and social media. For Rohit, the journey is clearly not over yet.

Harnath Foundation: Helping Animals Starts With Us

Rohit also spoke about Harnath Foundation, which he says was started with the aim of creating awareness among young people about the rights of animals and birds.

His message is simple: people share this planet with animals, and humans have the ability to speak and seek help while animals cannot speak for themselves.

He encourages people to start with small steps. Keeping water and food outside during summer, regularly putting out grain for birds and looking after animals around the house are some of the things he wants people to consider.

Rohit also spoke about injured animals. If someone sees an injured dog, cat or cow, he believes they should at least try to get help by calling the appropriate service or informing someone who can take care of the animal.

Watch the full conversation with Rohit Shokeen on Peddler Media’s YouTube Channel.

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