The Apprentice finalist Anisa Khan has been named captain of England’s women’s kabaddi team.
Khan hasn’t looked back since being pipped by Dan Franklin to Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment in the final of The Apprentice in April 2025.
She has grown her Indian-Italian fusion pizza business, Bombay Pizza, to 10 sites across London and the South East, generating more than £1m in revenue.
Now the 27-year-old entrepreneur is preparing to represent her country on the international stage.
She said: “Next week, I fly to India to lead the team at the Commonwealth Championships.
“To now captain England on an international stage is something I’m incredibly proud of. I can’t wait to get out there with such a talented group of women.”
Khan credited kabaddi with teaching her many of the leadership skills that have helped her succeed in business.
“Kabaddi is where I first learned to lead,” she said. “At The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) I became women’s captain and president of the club. It was the first time I’d ever led anything.
“Since then, I’ve built Bombay Pizza into a seven-figure business and was project manager on BBC’s The Apprentice more than any other candidate. All of it started on a kabaddi court.
“For anyone who hasn’t come across it, kabaddi is one of the biggest sports in South Asia.
“It’s fast, full contact and won on strength, speed and strategy. A raider has 30 seconds to cross into the opposition’s half, tag as many players as possible and make it back without being tackled. I play as a main raider and left cover.
“Nothing has taught me more about leadership: making calls under pressure, backing your team, and owning the result when it doesn’t go your way.”