India’s very own game kabaddi experienced a dynamic year in 2024, featuring numerous national competitions and the thrilling Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). However, a significant setback occurred with India’s ban from international kabaddi tournaments due to administrative issues.
While the PKL continued to captivate audiences with two successful seasons, the lack of international tournaments underscored the persistent struggle to expand kabaddi’s global reach beyond the Indian subcontinent.
January
PKL 10 (2023-24)
The tenth season of the Pro Kabaddi League (2023-24), which started in late 2023 was continued in 2024. The tenth edition of the tournament went back to its original caravan format for the first time since 2019.
Kabaddi was hosted in all 12 cities home to the teams.
Khelo India Youth Games 2024
Kabaddi action continued at the Khelo India Youth Games 2024 in Tamil Nadu from January 18-22 at Indoor Hall, Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium (JNIS) in Chennai.
Haryana won the girls’ title by beating Tamil Nadu 40-33 in the final, while its boys took home the title after defeating Rajasthan in the finale.
February
WOMEN’S Yuva Kabaddi Series 2024
Yuva Kabaddi Series (YKS) has been India’s best youth league and the biggest feeder to PKL. 2024 saw the first ever edition where women kabaddi players got the platform to showcase their talent and skills in the Women’s YKS.
Six teams took part in the inaugural season in Jaipur in February. Murthal Magnets were unstoppable in the edition and finished as the only team to not lose a single match, and went on to lift the trophy of the Inaugural YKS 2024. Himalayan Tahrs with lot of experience in the team came very close to the title but fell short to finish as the runners up of the edition.
March
After 132 league matches and four playoff matches, the grand finale of PKL 10 was played on March 1 at the GMC Balayogi Sports Complex in Gachibowli, Hyderabad.
Table toppers Puneri Paltan defeated Haryana Steelers 28-25 to clinch its maiden PKL title.
The low-scoring encounter was built as a defensive battle, with the two strongest backlines meeting in the summit clash. However, it was Puneri Paltan’s raider Pankaj Mohite who emerged the hero on the night, scoring a crucial nine points and leading his team’s offensive charge, particularly in key do-or-die moments.
Paltan’s maiden title triumph neatly ties up everything right with the concept of a franchise-based league for a sport as raw and ancient as kabaddi. It was the triumph of an academy system that has been scouting and moulding talent season after season, no matter the eventual outcome.
70th Senior National Men’s Kabaddi Championship
The 70th Senior National Men’s Kabaddi Championship kicked off in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra on Thursday, March 21.
Top kabaddi stars like Pawan Sehrawat (Chandigarh), Vishal Bhardwaj (Chandigarh), Narender (Chandigarh), Aslam Inamdar (Maharashtra), Sunil Kumar (Indian Railways), Surender Gill (Indian Railways), Arjun Deshwal (Services), Rahul Chaudhari (Uttar Pradesh) and V Ajith Kumar (Tamil Nadu) took part in the four-day event from March 21 to March 24.
Indian Railways beat Chandigarh in the first semifinal, while Haryana defeated Maharashtra to reach the final.
Haryana went on to beat Indian Railways 34-31 in the final courtesy of its star player Ashu Malik who scored 13 points in the match.
Haryana won the Senior Nationals after more than a decade and stopped Railways to lift the trophy for the fourth year in a row.
September
World Beach Kabaddi Championship 2024
The first-ever World Beach Kabaddi Championship organised by International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) was held in Bandar Anzali, Iran, from September 25 to 29, 2024. The event featured nine teams competing in the men’s category: Iran, Nepal, Turkmenistan, Denmark, Pakistan, Palestine, Kenya, Germany, and Lebanon.
The championship was a resounding success for the host nation, with Iran emerging as the champions after defeating Pakistan 41-34 in the final. Iraq and Kenya were awarded joint bronze medals.
Why did India not participate in the tournament?
India did not participate in the tournament. IKF banned India from participating due to the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India’s (AKFI) suspension. The IKF’s decision was based on the lack of clarity regarding who was running the AKFI.
The AKFI has been run by a court-appointed administrator for the past five years. This was due to a petition filed with the Delhi High Court to cleanse the national body as per the 2011 National Sports Code. An election was held in December 2023 to elect a new body.
However, according to IKF’s president Vindo Tiwari: “Yes they have held the elections but the administrator has still not handed over the charge to the newly elected President and Secretary General. he still keeps occupying the AKFI office and obtaining salary from the Federation.”
The AKFI is the apex body that regulates all forms of kabaddi in India, including national, indoor, beach, and circle style. The IKF is the parent body that regulates the game at the international level.
What specific steps and improvements does IKF seek in AFKI to lift the suspension and allow India’s national teams to compete in international tournaments?
“First and foremost, they (the current AKFI administration) need to handover the charge to the elected body and the elected body then should officially inform IKF that they have taken over officially and are capable of operating their bank accounts etc. Once this is done then the IKF will call for its Executive Board to decide on the instatement process, answers Tiwari to Sportstar.
October – December
PKL 11 (2024)
The eleventh edition of the Pro Kabaddi League got underway on October 18.
The inaugural match of the PKL 11 was played between Telugu Titans and Bengaluru Bulls at the GMC Balayogi Sports Complex in Gachibowli, Hyderabad.
With 12 teams playing 132 league matches over three venues, The top two teams after the league stage qualified directly to the semifinals, while the next four also made their way to playoffs.
After the an extremely closely fought league stage, one of the most competitive in recent history, Haryana Steelers and Dabang Delhi secured their spot for the semifinals, while Patna Pirates, UP Yoddhas, U Mumba and Jaipur Pink Panthers moved to the playoffs.
Steelers went on to lift its maiden PKL trophy by defeating Pirates in the final.
This victory also marks a significant milestone for its coach Manpreet Singh, who had previously experienced heartbreak in three PKL finals as a coach with both Gujarat Giants (formerly Gujarat Fortune Giants) and the Steelers. Finally, the former Indian all-rounder achieved victory against a team he once captained to a PKL title in Season Three.
This victory stands as a testament to the resounding success of a system dedicated to fostering athletic excellence through cutting-edge technology and unwavering support, year after year.
Steelers’ Mohammadreza Chiyaneh Shadloui was awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the season for his all-round brilliance. The Iranian also won the Best Defender award for 82 tackle points, whilst Pirates’ Devank Dalal bagged the Best Raider trophy for 301 raid points, he also became only the third player in PKL history to cross 300 raid points in a single season.
