Solapur man turns passion into business, crafting custom Cricket Bats for players across India
Team Clarion
WADALA VILLAGE, SOLAPUR – Khwaja Tamboli’s story is one of grit, determination, and an unshakable belief in hard work. Hailing from a modest family in Wadala village, North Solapur, the 28-year-old entrepreneur has turned his childhood love for cricket into a thriving business—’KT Bats’—producing high-quality tennis ball cricket bats tailored to players’ needs across India.
Khwaja’s journey was far from easy. His father, Ajmuddin Tamboli, had to stop working 14 years ago due to mental illness, leaving his mother, Rashad, as the sole breadwinner. “I’ve seen many difficulties,” Khwaja recalls. “My mother sold household items and managed weekly markets just to keep us afloat. Poverty doesn’t stop dreams, but hard work is needed to fulfil them.”
After completing a B.Sc in Chemistry, Khwaja developed an allergy to chemicals, closing doors to traditional employment. But his passion for cricket opened another. “I was always fascinated by bats,” he says. “When I couldn’t find a job, I decided to start small—selling sports goods from a shop given by the Gram Panchayat.”
Initial struggles tested his resolve. Big companies refused to supply goods without bulk orders, and his first attempt at rebranding cheap bats with his own stickers failed. “Customers didn’t like them, and I faced losses,” he admits. Undeterred, Khwaja travelled to Kashmir to study wood types and bat-making techniques.
Returning with newfound knowledge, he invested in a machine and began crafting bats himself. “I realised if market bats weren’t good, I’d make better ones,” he says. The gamble paid off—his business took off, with players appreciating the customised quality.
Khwaja doesn’t just sell bats; he engineers them. Studying player preferences, he adjusts weight and balance based on playing style. “A 970-gram bat suits aggressive players hitting all around the ground,” he explains. “For those who play ‘V’ shots, a heavier bat (1030-1050g) with weight at the bottom works best.”
His bats now cater to players in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and Jharkhand. But success hasn’t made him forget his struggles. “I’ve seen poverty, so if a player can’t afford a bat, I give it at a lower price,” he says, recalling how he recently gifted a ‘Player Edition’ bat to a needy cricketer from Gujarat.
Rashad Tamboli, Khwaja’s mother, beams with pride. “He loved cricket since childhood. I invested my savings in his dream, and he proved himself,” she says.
Today, ‘KT Bats’ sells 100-200 bats monthly, priced from ₹2,000 to ₹3,500. But Khwaja dreams bigger. “I want ‘KT Bats’ stores across India,” he says. “My brand should be recognised in every state.”
From a struggling student to a role model for young entrepreneurs, Khwaja Tamboli’s journey proves that with perseverance, even the most humble beginnings can lead to extraordinary success.
