History of Kabaddi and the Pro Kabaddi League

Introduction

Kabaddi is the national sport of Bangladesh (since 1972) and one of the principal South Asian traditional sports, with continuous documented practice from ancient South Asian origins through the modern professional kabaddi tradition. The 2014 Pro Kabaddi League launch established kabaddi as one of the principal modern Indian sports, with broadcast audiences rivaling the Indian Premier League cricket competition in some seasons. The modern global kabaddi landscape is anchored by the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL, founded 2014, organized by Mashal Sports as one of the principal Indian professional sports leagues), the Kabaddi World Cup (held quadrennially since 2004), the Asian Games kabaddi tradition (with kabaddi at every Asian Games since 1990), various continental kabaddi championships, and various national kabaddi championships including the India Senior National Kabaddi Championship, various Indian state kabaddi championships, various Iranian kabaddi tournaments, various Bangladeshi kabaddi tournaments, and others. This article surveys the full history of kabaddi from ancient South Asian origins, through Mahabharata epic references, the 1923 first kabaddi competitive rules codification in Maharashtra by Karandikar Krida Mandal, the 1938 inclusion of kabaddi in the Indian Olympic Association calendar, the 1950 establishment of the All India Kabaddi Federation, the 1972 establishment of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), the 1972 Bangladesh declaration of kabaddi as the national sport, the 1979 first South Asian Kabaddi Championship at Calcutta, the 1990 Asian Games debut at Beijing, the 2004 inaugural Kabaddi World Cup at Mumbai, the 2014 Pro Kabaddi League launch, the Pawan Kumar Sehrawat Pro Kabaddi League dominance, the Iranian kabaddi tradition, the Bangladeshi kabaddi tradition, the 1990s-2010s Indian Asian Games seven consecutive gold medals, the Kabaddi Masters Dubai tournament, and the future of the global kabaddi landscape.

Ancient Origins and the Mahabharata

Kabaddi extends from ancient South Asian origins, with traditional accounts placing its roots at least 4,000 years ago. The Mahabharata epic (composed approximately between 400 BCE and 400 CE) includes references to kabaddi-style activities, including the famous account of Abhimanyu attempting to escape the Chakravyuha military formation, which some scholars interpret as a kabaddi-like reference. Various regional South Asian kabaddi traditions include the Sanjeevani style (the principal modern competitive kabaddi style), the Gaminee style, the Amar style, the Punjabi Circle style (the Punjab regional kabaddi style), and various other regional South Asian kabaddi traditions. Each regional style developed distinctive features over centuries of practice. The Punjabi Circle kabaddi style (with the 16-meter diameter circular court rather than the rectangular court of the Sanjeevani style) established the Punjabi regional kabaddi tradition. The Punjabi Circle kabaddi tradition has continued through various Punjabi diaspora communities across the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and various other countries. Various South Asian kabaddi traditions include the Bengali kabaddi tradition (Hu-Tu-Tu), the Tamil Nadu kabaddi tradition (Chedugudu), the Telugu kabaddi tradition (Chedugudu), the Maharashtra kabaddi tradition (Hu-Tu-Tu), and various other regional South Asian kabaddi traditions. Each regional name reflects the chanted syllables that raiders traditionally repeat during raids. The broader transmission of kabaddi as a competitive sport across South Asia continued through the medieval period, with documented village and regional tournaments throughout the Punjab, Bengal, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh regions. The sport's accessibility — requiring only a flat playing area and no equipment — supported widespread participation across rural South Asia.

Modern Kabaddi Rules and the 1923 Codification

The 1923 first kabaddi competitive rules codification in Maharashtra by Karandikar Krida Mandal (the Karandikar Sports Club) established the modern competitive kabaddi tradition. The 1923 Karandikar Krida Mandal kabaddi rules established the principal modern competitive kabaddi rules including rectangular court dimensions, player positions, the raid scoring system, the tackle scoring system, and various other principal modern competitive kabaddi rules. The 1938 inclusion of kabaddi in the Indian Olympic Association calendar established the Indian Olympic kabaddi tradition. The 1938 Indian Olympic Association kabaddi inclusion was driven by the Indian Olympic Association's interest in indigenous Indian sports as expressions of national identity during the broader Indian independence movement. The 1950 establishment of the All India Kabaddi Federation established the principal modern Indian kabaddi governance organization. The 1972 establishment of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) extended the principal modern Indian kabaddi governance organization. The AKFI's role as the principal Indian kabaddi governing body has continued through subsequent decades. The 1972 Bangladesh declaration of kabaddi as the national sport established the Bangladeshi kabaddi tradition. The 1972 Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation establishment extended the Bangladeshi kabaddi tradition. The Bangladeshi kabaddi tradition has shaped the South Asian kabaddi competitive landscape through subsequent decades. The broader transmission of formalized kabaddi rules across South Asia through the 1950s and 1960s extended the competitive structure. Various subsequent national kabaddi federations in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and various other South Asian countries continued to develop through subsequent decades.

International Kabaddi and the 1990 Asian Games

The 1979 first South Asian Kabaddi Championship at Calcutta established the international kabaddi competitive tradition. The 1979 first South Asian Kabaddi Championship was won by India, beginning the Indian South Asian Kabaddi Championship dominance. The 1980 first Asian Kabaddi Championship at Calcutta extended the Asian kabaddi competitive tradition. The 1980 first Asian Kabaddi Championship was won by India. The 1990 Asian Games at Beijing established the Asian Games kabaddi tradition. The 1990 Beijing Asian Games kabaddi gold medal was won by India, beginning the Indian Asian Games kabaddi dominance. The 1990 Asian Games kabaddi inclusion was driven by the Asian Games organizing committee's interest in traditional Asian sports. The Indian Asian Games kabaddi tradition produced extraordinary results across subsequent decades. India won seven consecutive Asian Games kabaddi gold medals from 1990 Beijing through 2014 Incheon (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014 Asian Games gold medals) establishing the Indian Asian Games kabaddi dominance. The 2018 Asian Games kabaddi (at Jakarta-Palembang) produced surprising results. The 2018 Asian Games kabaddi men's gold medal was won by Iran (with the Indian men's team finishing third for the first time in any Asian Games kabaddi era). The 2018 Asian Games kabaddi women's gold medal was won by Iran, extending the Iranian kabaddi tradition. The 2022 Asian Games kabaddi (at Hangzhou, held in 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic delay) restored Indian dominance. The 2022 Asian Games kabaddi men's gold medal was won by India. The 2022 Asian Games kabaddi women's gold medal was won by India. The continued Indian Asian Games kabaddi tradition through subsequent decades will continue through subsequent years.

The Kabaddi World Cup

The 2004 inaugural Kabaddi World Cup at Mumbai established the Kabaddi World Cup tradition. The 2004 inaugural Kabaddi World Cup was won by India. The 2007 second Kabaddi World Cup at Panvel, India (held in November 2007) extended the Kabaddi World Cup tradition. The 2007 second Kabaddi World Cup was won by India. The 2010 third Kabaddi World Cup at Patna, India was won by India. The 2012 World Kabaddi Championship at Ludhiana, Punjab, India (with the Circle kabaddi style being the principal style at the 2012 World Kabaddi Championship) established the Circle kabaddi World Championship tradition. The 2016 Kabaddi World Cup at Ahmedabad, India (with the Sanjeevani kabaddi style being the principal style) was won by India. The 2025 Kabaddi World Cup at Tatum Cricket Club in Birmingham, England (with international participation including Kenyan, Argentine, Polish, Italian, various European, various African kabaddi national teams) extended the international kabaddi tradition. The Birmingham hosting of the 2025 Kabaddi World Cup marked the first major Kabaddi World Cup hosted outside South Asia. The 2018 Kabaddi Masters Dubai (with the Asian Games-style kabaddi tournament at Dubai) extended the UAE kabaddi tradition. Various subsequent Kabaddi Masters Dubai tournaments through subsequent decades have continued through subsequent years. Various subsequent international kabaddi development through subsequent decades has continued. The various subsequent international kabaddi developments include the Iranian kabaddi tradition, the Bangladeshi kabaddi tradition, the Pakistani kabaddi tradition, the Sri Lankan kabaddi tradition, the Nepali kabaddi tradition, the Bhutanese kabaddi tradition, the Maldivian kabaddi tradition, the Chinese kabaddi tradition, the Japanese kabaddi tradition, the Korean kabaddi tradition, the Indonesian kabaddi tradition, the Thai kabaddi tradition, the Malaysian kabaddi tradition, various African kabaddi traditions, various European kabaddi traditions, and various other international kabaddi traditions.

The Pro Kabaddi League Launch

The 2014 Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) launch by Mashal Sports (a joint venture between Anand Mahindra-led Mahindra & Mahindra and Charu Sharma-led Sports Management Group) established the principal modern Indian kabaddi commercial league. The continued PKL tradition through subsequent decades has continued through subsequent decades. The 2014 inaugural Pro Kabaddi League season included eight Indian city-based teams: the Bengaluru Bulls, the Bengal Warriors, the Dabang Delhi, the Jaipur Pink Panthers, the Patna Pirates, the Puneri Paltan, the Telugu Titans, and the U Mumba. Each franchise was acquired by major Indian business or entertainment figures. The 2014 inaugural Pro Kabaddi League was won by the Jaipur Pink Panthers (with the Abhishek Bachchan-owned Jaipur Pink Panthers). The 2014 inaugural Pro Kabaddi League final at the NSCI Dome in Mumbai (with the Jaipur Pink Panthers defeating the U Mumba in the inaugural final) established the Pro Kabaddi League cultural prominence. The 2014 inaugural Pro Kabaddi League Star Sports broadcast partnership established the Pro Kabaddi League broadcast tradition. The continued Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League broadcast partnership through subsequent decades has continued through subsequent decades. The Pro Kabaddi League 2014 inaugural season drew approximately 435 million cumulative viewers — second only to the IPL among Indian sports broadcasts that year. The Pro Kabaddi League seasonal expansion through subsequent decades has continued through subsequent years. The Pro Kabaddi League has been held annually since 2014 (with the 2020 Pro Kabaddi League canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). The Pro Kabaddi League 2015 second season expansion to 12 teams (with subsequent team additions including the Haryana Steelers, Tamil Thalaivas, UP Yoddhas, and Gujarat Giants) extended the Pro Kabaddi League tradition.

Pawan Kumar Sehrawat and the Modern Stars

Pawan Kumar Sehrawat, the Indian kabaddi player (born 1995), established a dominant role in 2010s and 2020s Pro Kabaddi League competition. Sehrawat's Pro Kabaddi League dominance including the 2018-19 Bengaluru Bulls Pro Kabaddi League championship (with his 22-raid championship match performance) and the 2022 Tamil Thalaivas Pro Kabaddi League performance established Sehrawat's prominence. Sehrawat's 30+ raid points in a single Pro Kabaddi League match (a single-match raid points record) extended his Pro Kabaddi League dominance. The continued Sehrawat tradition through subsequent decades has continued through subsequent years. Various other modern kabaddi players including Pardeep Narwal (the Indian kabaddi player with 1,000+ career raid points in the Pro Kabaddi League — the most by any player in any Pro Kabaddi League era), Anup Kumar (the Indian kabaddi player and 2010 Asian Games gold medal winner), Manjeet Chhillar (the Indian kabaddi player and various Asian Games kabaddi gold medal winner), Rakesh Kumar (the Indian kabaddi player and various Asian Games kabaddi gold medal winner), Ajay Thakur (the Indian kabaddi player and Asian Games kabaddi gold medal winner), Rahul Chaudhari (the Indian kabaddi player with 1,000+ Pro Kabaddi League career raid points), Maninder Singh (the Indian kabaddi player), Naveen Kumar (the Indian kabaddi player), and various others have established the modern kabaddi competitive landscape. Pardeep Narwal's Pro Kabaddi League career has produced one of the most extraordinary individual kabaddi careers in any era. Narwal's 2017-18 Patna Pirates Pro Kabaddi League championship (with his 369 raid points in a single Pro Kabaddi League season — a single-season raid points record) established the Narwal dominance. Various Iranian kabaddi players including Fazel Atrachali (the Iranian kabaddi player and U Mumba captain), Mohammad Esmaeil Maghsoudlou (the Iranian kabaddi player), and Abozar Mohajermighani (the Iranian kabaddi player) have extended the Iranian Pro Kabaddi League tradition. Various Bangladeshi kabaddi players including Arduzzaman Munshi, Sokhel Babu, and Rakibul Hasan have extended the Bangladeshi kabaddi tradition.

Kabaddi Rules and the Modern Game

The modern competitive kabaddi rules include the rectangular court dimensions (13 meters by 10 meters for the Sanjeevani style competitive kabaddi), various player positions (7 players per team with 5 substitutes), the raid scoring system, the tackle scoring system, the 30-second raid time limit, various time-out rules, various break rules, and various other principal modern competitive kabaddi rules. A kabaddi raid involves a single raider from the attacking team entering the opposing team's half of the court, with the raider attempting to tackle one or more opposing players (the "defenders") and return to the raider's half within the 30-second time limit. The raider must continuously chant "kabaddi" throughout the raid (the "kabaddi cant") in the Sanjeevani style. Various kabaddi raid scoring includes 1 point for each defender tackled (touched) by the raider plus the bonus point for various bonus zone touches, plus super tackle bonuses, plus various other scoring rules. Various kabaddi tackle scoring includes 1 point for each successful tackle, plus super tackle bonuses, plus various other scoring rules. Various subsequent kabaddi rule developments through subsequent decades have continued. The bonus zone, various rule reforms, and various other subsequent kabaddi rule developments have continued through subsequent decades. Pro Kabaddi League rule developments through subsequent decades have refined the modern professional structure. Various subsequent kabaddi equipment developments through subsequent decades have continued through subsequent decades. The kabaddi court surface (typically synthetic mat in professional play), kabaddi shoe developments, and various other kabaddi equipment developments have continued through subsequent decades.

International Kabaddi Federation and the Asian Tradition

The International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) was founded in 2004 as the principal international kabaddi governing body. The continued IKF tradition through subsequent decades has continued through subsequent decades. Various subsequent IKF governance reforms through subsequent decades have continued through subsequent decades. The IKF principal disciplines include the Sanjeevani style (the principal modern competitive kabaddi style), the Circle kabaddi style (the Punjab regional kabaddi style), and various other subsequent kabaddi styles. Various subsequent IKF discipline developments through subsequent decades have continued through subsequent decades. The Asian Kabaddi Federation (AKF) was founded in 1978 as the principal Asian kabaddi governing body. The continued AKF tradition through subsequent decades has continued through subsequent decades. The 1980 first Asian Kabaddi Championship at Calcutta established the Asian Kabaddi Championship tradition. Various subsequent Asian Kabaddi Championships principal winners including India, Bangladesh, Iran, Pakistan, and various others have continued through subsequent decades. The 1990 Beijing Asian Games kabaddi inclusion established the Asian Games kabaddi tradition. Various subsequent Asian Games kabaddi venues including various Asian Games venues across various Asian countries have continued through subsequent decades. Various subsequent Asian Games kabaddi medal results through subsequent decades have continued through subsequent decades. The Iranian kabaddi tradition has produced extraordinary results across subsequent decades. The 2018 Iranian Asian Games kabaddi men's and women's gold medals at Jakarta-Palembang established the Iranian Asian Games kabaddi tradition. The Bangladeshi kabaddi tradition has produced extraordinary results across subsequent decades. The 1972 Bangladesh declaration of kabaddi as the national sport established the Bangladeshi kabaddi tradition through subsequent decades.

Women's Kabaddi and the Modern Growth

Women's kabaddi has been an integral part of the kabaddi tradition through subsequent decades. The 1996 first Women's Kabaddi Championship at Pune established the Indian Women's Kabaddi Championship tradition. Various subsequent Indian Women's Kabaddi Championships principal winners including various Indian state teams have continued through subsequent decades. The 2008 first Women's Kabaddi World Cup at Patna established the Women's Kabaddi World Cup tradition. Various subsequent Women's Kabaddi World Cup principal winners including India, Iran, and various others have continued through subsequent decades. The 2010 first Women's Kabaddi Asian Games inclusion at Guangzhou established the Women's Asian Games kabaddi tradition. Various subsequent Women's Asian Games kabaddi medal results through subsequent decades have continued. Various subsequent Women's Asian Games kabaddi principal nations including India, Iran, Bangladesh, and various others have continued through subsequent decades. The 2022 Asian Games kabaddi (held in 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic delay) women's gold medal was won by India. The 2024 proposed Women's Pro Kabaddi League launch extended the Women's Pro Kabaddi League tradition. Various subsequent Women's Pro Kabaddi League commercial developments through subsequent years have continued through subsequent decades. Various Indian women's kabaddi players including Mamatha Poojary (the Indian women's kabaddi player and various Asian Games gold medal winner), Tejaswini Bai (the Indian women's kabaddi player and various Asian Games gold medal winner), and Sakshi Kumari (the Indian women's kabaddi player) have established the Indian women's kabaddi tradition. Various Iranian women's kabaddi players including Ghazal Khalaj have extended the Iranian women's kabaddi tradition.

Kabaddi Culture and the Global Spread

Kabaddi culture extends substantially beyond the South Asian competitive kabaddi tradition. Various kabaddi cultural traditions through subsequent decades have continued through subsequent decades. The 2014 Pro Kabaddi League launch established the broader modern kabaddi cultural traditions through subsequent decades. Various subsequent kabaddi global spread through subsequent decades has continued. Various subsequent kabaddi spread to the Iranian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Nepali, Bhutanese, Maldivian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Thai, Malaysian, Filipino, Vietnamese, various African, various European, and various other countries has continued through subsequent decades. Various subsequent kabaddi spread to the United Kingdom and various Punjabi diaspora kabaddi traditions has continued through subsequent decades. Various subsequent UK Punjabi kabaddi tradition including various subsequent UK kabaddi tournaments through subsequent decades has continued through subsequent years. The 2025 Kabaddi World Cup at Birmingham, England established the UK kabaddi tradition further. Various subsequent kabaddi spread to the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, various European countries, various Latin American countries, various African countries, and various other countries has continued through subsequent decades. Punjabi diaspora communities have been particularly active in growing kabaddi participation in these regions. Various subsequent kabaddi media coverage through subsequent decades has extended the cultural prominence of kabaddi. The continued Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League broadcast tradition (with Star Sports as the principal Pro Kabaddi League broadcast partner) through subsequent decades has continued through subsequent decades. Various subsequent Pro Kabaddi League broadcast developments through subsequent decades have continued through subsequent decades.

The Future of Kabaddi, Conclusion, and Sources

The future of kabaddi faces a series of significant questions in the third decade of the twenty-first century. The continued growth of the global professional kabaddi circuit, the continued Pro Kabaddi League development, the continued various national federation development, the continued broadcast development, the continued globalization of the kabaddi talent pool, and the continued equipment developments will all continue to shape the kabaddi landscape. The continued growth of the global professional kabaddi circuit will continue through subsequent decades. The continued Pro Kabaddi League seasons, various subsequent Pro Kabaddi League team developments, and various other Pro Kabaddi League developments will continue through subsequent decades. The continued national federation development will continue through subsequent decades. The continued Indian, Iranian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, various Asian, various African, various European, and various other national kabaddi federation development will continue through subsequent decades. The continued broadcast development will continue through subsequent decades. The continued Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League broadcast tradition, various subsequent online streaming developments, various subsequent national broadcast developments, and various other broadcast developments will continue through subsequent decades. Individual kabaddi figures will continue to shape the kabaddi tradition. The continued careers of Pawan Kumar Sehrawat, Pardeep Narwal, Maninder Singh, Naveen Kumar, Arjun Deshwal, Aslam Inamdar, Fazel Atrachali, Mohammad Esmaeil Maghsoudlou, Ajinkya Pawar, Sachin Tanwar, Akash Shinde, and many others will continue to shape the kabaddi legacy. Kabaddi will continue to evolve. The continued growth of the professional kabaddi circuit, the continued Pro Kabaddi League development, the continued various national federation development, the continued broadcast development, the continued globalization, and various other changes will all continue to shape the kabaddi landscape through subsequent decades. Yet the basic principle of kabaddi — the fundamental athletic activity of competitive South Asian wrestling that has underpinned the South Asian cultural tradition for centuries — has shaped the South Asian cultural tradition for thousands of years and shows no sign of fading. Sources include: Norman E. Borlaug and various authors, Sport in South Asia: A Cultural and Historical Anthology (various editions); Boria Majumdar, Indian Sport: Origin, Development, and Cultural Spread (Sage Publications, 2008); Anant Mahapatra, The Cultural and Religious Significance of Kabaddi (Kabaddi Federation publications, various editions); James Astill, The Great Tamasha: Cricket, Corruption and the Spectacular Rise of Modern India (Bloomsbury, 2013); BBC Sport coverage, bbc.co.uk/sport (records and archives); Pro Kabaddi League archives, prokabaddi.com (results and records); International Kabaddi Federation archives, ikf-online.com (results and records); Star Sports broadcast archives (various editions).