A decade ago, Paras Raj Maheshwari decided to take his family business of sports mat manufacturing to the next level. The Delhi-based businessman approached the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), which was launched in 2014, to be their official supplier. It was — to use a Kabaddi term — an empty raid in that round.The technical directors of the league, who were used to importing these mats, outrightly rejected Maheshwari’s products in the first meeting.








