Speaking to Bernama, the coach said his decision to step back had nothing to do with salary or personal gain, but was driven by a sense of fulfilment after accomplishing his mission to bring glory to the nation

He added that retiring after delivering success made the decision easier.

“Many retire when things are going down. I chose to leave after giving Malaysia gold and this is the right time for me.

“I have done all my hard work as Malaysia kabaddi coach to bring glory and make my country proud. I feel I have done my duty well and happy and proud of what we achieved,” he said.

Under his guidance, Malaysia Kabaddi teams returned with one gold, one silver and four bronze in both mens and womens categories.

Reflecting on his journey, Gurmit said hearing the national anthem after the gold medal triumph in Thailand was a moment he would cherish forever.

The former national hockey coach and player, who later ventured into kabaddi coaching since 2018 expressed confidence that Malaysian kabaddi is in good hands and urged the next generation of coaches and players to push the sport to greater heights.

“I leave at the peak, but Malaysian kabaddi must continue climbing,” said the retired Malaysia Armed Forces Physical Training Instructor.

-- BERNAMA