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Every evening, inside a small rented flat in Mumbai, 20-year-old Praveen Gupta moves a few pieces of furniture aside, slips off his shoes so the neighbours won’t complain about the noise, sets a timer for 30 seconds — and begins to jump.
There’s no gym here. No expensive equipment, no coaches watching, no crowd cheering. Just the steady sound of the rope smacking against the floor, as Praveen chases a level of perfection few will ever see.
“I have been playing this sport since childhood, and it is interesting because it is not monotonous. I struggled when I tried to learn new skills, but slowly I was able to pick up the pace and improve,” he says.
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In 2024, after years of tireless training, Praveen broke a Guinness World Record: 69 rope crossovers while skipping backwards on one leg in 30 seconds. What’s more, he did it without sponsors, without funding — entirely on his own.
But even that record — a moment that should have brought him into the spotlight — changed little. In India, where jump rope is still seen as little more than a playground pastime, Praveen has spent 13 years showing up, training, and pushing himself in a sport few take seriously. Even after the medals, the records, and the countless hours of practice, he’s still fighting for something most athletes never have to: simple recognition, the chance to be seen, and someone who believes enough to back his dream.
From judo mats to skipping ropes
Praveen never set out to become a jump rope athlete. In school at Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), his early days were spent on judo mats, practising throws and holds. But then, a senior, Manish Kumar, spotted something others hadn’t.
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“Manish, who was a regional player, saw potential in me and urged me to take up the sport seriously,” shares Praveen.
Praveen was introduced to jump rope by his senior.
He agreed to give it a shot. At his very first trial, he surprised everyone — scoring the highest in school. His talent was impossible to miss. Soon, two of his coaches stepped in to shape that raw ability into skill.
“Sanket sir, a trained skipping coach, taught me the foundations and basics of the sport. Kiran Raja sir focused on building the fitness I needed to perform well,” Praveen explains.
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The wins followed — clusters, regionals, nationals. But even as his medal tally grew, breaking into individual national events proved frustratingly difficult. For years, the door remained shut.
Finally, in Class 8, the opportunity came. Praveen was selected to compete at the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) nationals at KIIT University, Bhopal. He didn’t waste it — returning with a silver medal in the individual event and a gold in the team event. It was the turning point that sealed his commitment to the sport.
When Praveen was given the opportunity, he made sure to secure a few medals.
“I still remember training early in the cold mornings, the 2 km walks for breakfast, and then again to the practice venue. Our coach, Pankaj Shukla sir, was very strict, but the bond with my teammates made everything worthwhile,” he recalls.
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“That tournament was the first time I ever cried — not out of sadness, but because of the beautiful friendships and unforgettable memories we created.”
When the system, and a pandemic, stalled his rise
After school, Praveen joined VG Vaze College of Arts and Science, Mulund, under Mumbai University, hoping college life would open up more opportunities to compete while he pursued his bachelor’s degree in commerce. But life, once again, threw him off course.
Just as he was preparing to take his skills to the next level, the COVID-19 pandemic swept in. Competitions were cancelled. Training grounds shut down. The rhythm he had built for years came to an abrupt stop.
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While his pace of achievement was good, pandemic decided to put a temporary pause.
“When this happened, I made up my mind that I would become the best in the sport and show everyone my true potential,” he says.
But even as restrictions eased and tournaments resumed, another obstacle stood in his way — one rooted in the system itself. Jump rope was not recognised as an official sport under Mumbai University. That one technicality closed the door on his chance to compete at the All India University Games.
“That was a big disappointment,” he admits.
Training for the world stage inside a rented flat
No matter how many setbacks life has thrown his way, Praveen has never stopped training. His routine mirrors that of a professional athlete — but without the luxury of coaches, fancy gyms, or high-end equipment. Instead, his training ground is a small corner inside his rented Mumbai flat.
Each morning begins the same way — a two-kilometre run to build stamina, his breath clouding in the early air. In the evenings, long after the city quiets down, he shifts into his five-hour training routine, pushing his body through jump rope drills, chasing every fraction of a second that might give him an edge.
“I train specifically for competitive sports. I have a timer of 30 seconds, and I try to practise the jumps to see how many I can do in that particular time. I do it in three sets, shifting between heavy and competition ropes,” he explains.
For a while, he trained with friends at a park near his home. But even there, attention from curious passersby turned into constant interruptions. “I used to train along with my friends, but we stopped because people used to stop and ask questions about what we were doing,” he shares. What was routine for him seemed strange to others, forcing him once again to retreat indoors.
Inside his small flat, even that space comes with its own compromises. “I live in a rented house, so to avoid disturbing the neighbours, I train indoors without shoes,” he says. “But wearing shoes provides better grip and speed, which are crucial for efficient practice.” He knows it’s not ideal, but it’s what he has.
His friend Yash Jadhav, who has known Praveen since school, has watched his discipline over the years. “Praveen is very hardworking and dedicated to sports. He focuses on improving his performance by practising regularly.”
To refine his skills even further, Praveen turns to the only coaches he can access — videos of international athletes online. Night after night, he studies their movements frame by frame, watching Japanese and Chinese jump ropers pull off techniques most people in India have never even seen. “I take inspiration from Japanese and Chinese jump ropers and have learned freestyle skills by observing them, which has helped me compete more effectively,” he says.
Medals, milestones, and a Guinness World Record
For a sport that has offered him little in the way of facilities or support, Praveen’s list of achievements speaks volumes. Over the years, he has competed in more than 15 competitions and returned with over 37 medals — each one earned quietly, without fanfare.
Among his many wins: first place in the Double Under event at both the KVS Nationals and the Maharashtra State Championship, along with multiple podium finishes at SGFI competitions.
Then, in November 2024, came one of his proudest personal milestones — the Guinness World Record. In just 30 seconds, while skipping backwards on one leg, he completed 69 rope crossovers (crisscrosses), earning his place in the record books. The attempt was fully self-funded, like so much of his journey.
Yet even here, Praveen speaks with the calm of someone who knows his story isn’t finished. “I know I can do more. This was just the beginning,” he says.
Earlier this year, at the 2025 Senior Jump Rope National Championship in Nashik, he added to his growing list of victories — winning gold in the single rope doubles (under 30 seconds) and silver in the single rope sprint.
‘People think it’s a game for kids’
For all that he’s achieved, Praveen’s toughest fight isn’t always on the mat or with the rope. It’s with how people see his sport — or rather, how they don’t.
“My parents don’t see a future in this sport. They think it’s just a hobby. It hurts because I know how much potential I have,” he says.
That lack of belief isn’t just at home. Outside, too, most people still dismiss jump rope as something kids do during recess, not something you build your life around. And it stings even more when that attitude runs through the very systems meant to support athletes like him.
Not a lot of people consider jump roping as a serious sport.
“Since jump roping was removed from the recognised sports list in 2017 by the Government of India, people have taken my achievements, skills, and even the sport for granted. The politics in the game have hindered my participation,” he says.
Money has been another wall he keeps running into. While he’s managed to fund smaller competitions himself, the moment international tournaments come into the picture, the costs rise far beyond his reach. In 2024, after earning India’s highest score, Praveen qualified for the Asian Championship in Japan. But when the time came, he simply couldn’t afford to register.
“I had the highest score in India, but I couldn’t register in time because of the lack of funds. I lost a golden chance to prove myself on the world stage,” he says.
The following year was no different. Though he qualified for the 2025 World Championship, he couldn’t gather the Rs 50,000 needed to confirm his place.
Praveen owns 37 medals and a Guinness World Record.
“I have reached out to many officials and organisations for sponsorship, but since the sport is not recognised by the government or part of the Olympics yet, people are hesitant to support me,” he says.
Despite holding India’s highest scores in Single Speed Sprint (30s) and Double Under, Praveen is still stuck on the sidelines — not because he isn’t good enough, but because there’s no system backing athletes like him.
His school sports teacher, Kiran Raja, has watched his quiet discipline from the very beginning. “In school, he used to practice for six to eight hours a day very efficiently, irrespective of if there was any teacher or senior on the ground to supervise his efforts,” she recalls.
‘I want to become the best in jump rope’
And yet, through all the heartbreak, Praveen keeps going. What started as a school hobby has become the thing that teaches him how to endure — and to hope.
“Jump Rope has taught me discipline and the powerful lesson that true progress often comes through pain, whether it’s the pain of defeat or the effort required in intense training, and I’ve learned to embrace both,” he says.
With little official support, Praveen and his friends have turned to whatever platforms they have. “We used to shoot videos for social media to promote our sport. We try to create new and creative things every day,” shares Yash.
The recognition may still be missing, but Praveen stays focused on the goal that first pulled him in.
“Even if I have to leave the sport due to financial reasons or any other circumstances, I want to become the best first — so that people will associate jump roping with my name,” he says.
‘Just one more jump’ away from global glory
For all the obstacles Praveen has faced, he is still on the edge of something extraordinary. One of his biggest dreams is to break the world record held by Chinese jump rope legend Cen Xiaolin, who has dominated the sport for nearly a decade. Cen’s record stands at 105 double unders in 30 seconds. Praveen’s personal best? 104.
“I am so close. Just one more, and I’ll be at the top. I won’t stop until I get there,” he says, smiling.
Praveen has also coached a few players in jump rope.
But even as he chases that world record, reality weighs on him. His college graduation is complete, and like many young adults, he’s now balancing job searches, professional courses, and an uncertain future — all of which pull time away from his training.
“Now I am searching for a sponsor for the diet and equipment, and I’ll try for the next year’s Asian Championship,” he says.
Yet despite the uncertainty, one thing keeps him going: “Knowing that I hold the highest score in India and rank among the fastest in the world gives me purpose. Young athletes often reach out for guidance and look up to me, and that inspires me to become better each day.”
The dream is still burning bright, but the flame is flickering. And as Praveen stands just one jump away from global glory, what he needs most is someone willing to stand behind him.
If you wish to contribute or know organisations that can support him, now is the time to act. Reach out to him at guptapraveen736@gmail.com or +91 8788 866138
Edited by Khushi Arora; All images courtesy Praveen Gupta
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