Aspiring kabaddi players of Hyderabad were greeted by the special appearance of stars of the Pro Kabaddi League at the Hyderabad leg of the Sports For All (SFA) championships 2024-25, bringing excitement and inspiration to young athletes. Tamil Thalaivas’ raiding duo of Narender Kandola and Sachin Tanwar, along with Bengaluru Bulls’ Ajinkya Pawar, visited the Shri Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy Stadium to witness the Under-14 boys and girls’ finals in Hyderabad on Saturday, according to a PKL press release. The presence of these PKL stars highlighted the growing importance of grassroots development in kabaddi.
Reflecting on the sport’s evolution, Sachin Tanwar shared, “This is a significant movement from the beginning. When I was in school, we used to play in such tournaments too. Initially, only 200-250 people would come to watch, but now the popularity of kabaddi has grown tremendously, encouraging more participation. The scope of the game has expanded significantly, and this is evident now.”
Ajinkya Pawar emphasized the importance of balancing academics with sports.
“The most important thing is that these young players need to maintain a balance – they should focus on both their studies and sports. Education remains equally important as sports,” he advised the aspiring athletes.
Drawing from personal experience, Narender Kandola emphasized the crucial role of school-level competitions.
“Kabaddi’s growth starts from the grassroots level, and school games play a crucial role in developing the sport. My own journey is testament to this – I started with casual games in my village, moved on to school competitions, and eventually made my way to the world stage. This is where it all begins,” he said, hoping to inspire the kabaddi winners of the ongoing SFA Championships.