Our history

Kabaddi-Origins & History

The game of Kabaddi is one of the oldest games of Indian origin. Some believe that the sport has a history dating to pre-historic times and was probably invented to ward off group attacks. The Iranians believe that game originated in their country in the Sistan region. Many believe that the game has it’s beginning some 5,000 years ago during the Kurukshetra War. It is said to be one of the two games that originated in India to have its roots in warfare – the other being chess.
Kabaddi is a unique game and the only combative sport in which offence is an individual effort whereas defense is a group effort. Further, history reveals that kabaddi was played by princes of the past to display their strength. Buddhist literature also mentions of Gautama Buddha playing kabaddi with his peers. Played in three formats – National Style (Asian Style), Beach Kabaddi and Circle Kabaddi.
A game that finds its roots in the wide domain of India’s history, Kabaddi as a sport has certainly been rekindled with the institutionalizing of the Pro Kabaddi League, which currently sits in second place in the standings of India’s most watched sports league, behind the Indian Premier League. Going by the recent statistical studies, the Pro Kabaddi League was viewed by a record 312 million viewers, only 100 million viewers less than the count taken for the Indian Premier League. What makes the 312 million a staggering figure is that fact that the league was watched by almost three times the number of people who watched the FIFA World Cup, one of the most followed tournaments on a global level. Big names from across the country from various fields such as cinema, politics have all played their part in contributing to the growth, glitz and glamour of the Pro Kabaddi League.

Goals & Objectives

  • Sport for all – promoting kabaddi as a healthy sport that can be played competitively and socially regardless of age, gender, physical ability or social status.
  • Fair play – ensuring that kabaddi is free of drugs, violence and cheating.
  • Harassment free sport – ensuring that everybody involved in the sport can participate in an environment free of physical, psychological or other forms of harassment.
  • Equal opportunity – supporting the active participation of both men and women in kabaddi at all levels.
  • Non-discrimination – ensuring no political, religious, racial or gender discrimination.
  • Autonomy – safeguarding the autonomy of international sport in general and kabaddi in particular
  • Environmental responsibility – acting responsibly towards the environment in connection with activities and operations

In Kabaddi, the primary goal for each team is to dispatch a raider into the opposing team’s half, known as the antis. To earn a point, the raider must take a deep breath before crossing into the opponent’s territory and continuously chant “kabaddi kabaddi” without breaking their breath. During this raid, the raider must tag one or more members of the opposing team and then safely return to their own half.

If the raider fails to maintain their breath during the attempt or is unsuccessful in tagging an opponent, the referee will declare them “out.” This rule emphasizes the importance of breath control and agility in the game, making Kabaddi a unique and challenging sport.

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Strategy requires thought-tactics require observation
Canada Kabaddi