BY MAHADEV DESAI
(With inputs from Veena Rao)
Many readers will be surprised to learn that Kabaddi, after cricket, is the second most popular sporting league in India! Originating in ancient India, kabaddi is a contact team sport played between two teams of seven players. Once a rural pastime enjoyed in villages, kabaddi has evolved into a global phenomenon, with professional leagues, international tournaments, and a growing presence in countries like the United States, where the sport is promoted by Indian-American communities and organizations.
In villages, Kabaddi was played outdoors on dirt and mud fields but is now played indoors on mats. Kabaddi does not need any equipment. Players need agility, stamina, hand-eye coordination, teamwork, communication skill, and tact. Kabaddi is also known as hu-tu-tu; ha-do-do, chedugudu, etc.
It is played on a rectangular court indoors. The court is 33ft x 43 ft. The game is played in 20-minute halves. The ‘Standard style’ is played in major professional leagues and international competitions such as the Asian Games beginning in 1990.
In the ‘standard style of Kabaddi, two teams of seven players each face off on either side of the mat. The player ‘Raider’ chants ‘kabaddi, kabaddi’ for thirty seconds while in the opposing half and tries to tag as many opponents as he can and return to his side without being prevented from doing so. The raider must cross the balk line into the defending team’s territory, and then return to their half of the field without being tackled. The side that manages to tag all seven opponents wins the game. There is a half-time break of five minutes, during which the teams exchange sides.
Both sides can use three substitutes. The games last about 45 minutes, so they generate a lot of excitement! The game is simple but has its own terms and rules. A kabaddi fan would do well to learn terms like all-out; touch-point; super-tackle; do or die raid; super raid; ankle-hold et al.
Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) is a franchise-based Kabaddi league in India, set-up in 2014. The League has played a big role in promoting kabaddi and elevating it to an international standard. It won the Best Sports League at the Confederation of Indian Industry Sports Business Award in October 24, at New Delhi.
Like the IPL in cricket, PKL also conducts the signing and auctioning of players. As in IPL, the PKL franchises are owned by Bollywood celebrities and business titans. One to two crores are offered for top raiders or defenders. Each team must have a minimum of two and a maximum of four players. The competition attracts players from Bangla Desh, Sri Lanka, Iran, Taiwan, S. Korea; Thailand, Japan, China, Malaysia, Pakistan, etc.
The 11th season has begun on October 18, 2024 and will end after three months. There will be about 137 matches and the finale will be played in Pune on December 29, 2024. The 12 teams are: Gujarat Giants; Patna Pirates; Bengal Warriors; Puneri Paltan; UP Yoddhas; Bengaluru Bulls; Jaipur Pink Panthers; Dabang Delhi KC; Haryana Steelers; Tamil Thalaivas; U Mumba and Telugu Titans. Puneri Paltan are the current champions. Outstanding players have been bestowed with Arjuna Awards since 1972. The other Awards are Major Dhyan Chand Award and Padma Shri Awards. A few expert coaches have also been awarded Dronacharya Awards.
Four forms of kabaddi played in India are Amar, Suranjeevi, huttuttoo, and Gaminee. Suranjeevi is the most played form of kabaddi in India and the world.
Star Sports Pro Kabaddi viewership on TV which had about 44 crore viewers has increased by almost 50% in the current season because the game is short, simple and exciting to watch!
The game was included for the first time in the Asian Games in Beijing in 1990. India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh took part. India won the gold medal and has also won gold at the following six Asian Games in Hiroshima in 1994, Bangkok in 1998, Busan in 2002, Doha in 2006 and Guangzhou in 2010. India suffered their first-ever loss in 28 years at the 2018 Asian Games to South Korea in the men’s Kabaddi group A game, and then lost to Iran in the semi-finals.
The President of the International Kabaddi Federation, Vinod Kumar Tiwari comments, “Having established itself in Asia, we feel that Kabaddi has the potential to be a popular sport around the world.” PKL” Commissioner Anupam Goswami feels confident that kabaddi will be a strong contender to be a part of the next Olympics.
Kabaddi in the Indian-American Community
In the United States, kabaddi is steadily gaining recognition, driven by the Indian-American community’s passion for the sport. Cities with large South Asian populations, such as New York, California, and Texas, host local kabaddi clubs and leagues. Organizations like the United States Kabaddi Federation (USKF) work to promote the sport through tournaments and workshops, making it accessible to younger generations of Americans.
The United States Kabaddi team for the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup was formed by Celestine Jones, a Florida A&M University graduate, just before the tournament. The team was made up of athletes and musicians from the university with backgrounds in other sports, but no prior experience with kabaddi. Despite facing lopsided losses, their participation in the tournament marked a significant milestone, showcasing the growing popularity of kabaddi in the United States.
The team has trained in Atlanta, Georgia for the Kabaddi World Cup, the USA Kabaddi Cup, and USA Kabaddi League. Their mission extends beyond the competition—they aim to support Kabaddi’s bid for Olympic inclusion and continue spreading the sport globally.
Atlanta has its own team that is called the Atlanta Kabaddi and Culture Sports Club that organized the 2023 Atlanta Kabaddi Cup.
The U.S. even fields a national kabaddi team that competes in international tournaments, fostering cross-cultural exchange and showcasing the sport’s dynamism on a global platform.
Photos courtesy of US Kabaddi team website & Canva.
