Kabaddi makes a comeback in state

Students playing Kabaddi at Utnoor in Adilabad district

With the entry of Professional Kabaddi League (PKL) few months ago into the country, a few months ago, the game is gaining ground in rural areas on par with cricket as large number of youth showing interest to play Kabaddi. The PKL has started showing positive impact on the rural youth and sports persons.

Some top cine actors, actress and celebrities and even some of the cricketers acting as ambassadors of the Kabaddi also created popularity to the Kabaddi in general.    

Rural youth are showing more interest in Kabaddi these days unlike in the past. Earlier, youth used to play only cricket in the agriculture fields now they are playing Kabaddi. Black soil fields are turning into Kabaddi courts in rural areas in the district.    

It was evident that, some of the pro Kabaddi players have become familiar to the rural folk thanks to the live telecast of the Kabbaddi matches and large number of rural people especially youth and students have become the fans of these Kabaddi players on par with cricket players.

The Kabaddi game became popular in rural areas now as majority of the people watching the Prof Kabaddi matches on television. Third season of Pro Kabaddi League has just started. 

Even synthetic Kabaddi courts hit the rural areas and there was good response to the Kabaddi events whenever conducted in the villages and it was seen parents thronging the grounds to see the game when their playing.   

Adilabad Kabaddi teams are performing well at various events and recently the Adilabad team has stood first in Telangana state event of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Krida Abhiyan( RGKA) held in Jatharla in Bajarhathnoor in district.

District Sport Development Officer (DSDO) N. Sudhakar said gradually school and college students are shifting to Kabaddi from cricket and it was evident in the rural areas and the professional Kabaddi league activated the change further.

He said Kabbaddi players Rahul Chowdhary, Wazir Singh, Mohith Chiller , Sukesh Hegde, Anup Kumar, Shabbir Bappu are now popular as much as cricket players Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar.

‘He was proud of his students Satish, Suresh and Shiva who are representing for various teams playing in the professional Kabaddi league’, he claimed.      

Four synthetic Kabaddi mats were purchased with Rs 13 lakh MPLAD fund of Adilabad MP Gadam Nagesh and now Kabaddi players are playing the game on professional mats.

It is said many district sports development authorities are showing interest to purchase synthetic mats for Kabaddi after seeing Adilabad in the state. Adilabad MP Gadam Nagesh who himself a Kabaddi player, is encouraging the game in the district.

As many as three boys and girls each of school and colleges of Adilabad have played in Nationals of RGKA held recently at Gandhinagar in Gujarat. It is surprise to note that among them five players were Tribals.

Kabaddi coach N.  Hari Charan said awareness about Kabaddi game also increased among the people and sometimes people present at the game questing judgment given by the referees if it was wrong.