SAI NCOE Gandhinagar: The Indian men’s and women’s kabaddi teams were given a warm send-off at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) National Centre of Excellence in Gandhinagar as they prepare to compete at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya in Japan.
The two squads completed their final preparatory camp at the SAI NCOE Gandhinagar from September 5 to 14 before beginning their Asian Games campaign.
The players were given a traditional tika and garland, while traditional shawls were presented to the coaches, captains and vice-captains of both teams during the send-off ceremony.
Both teams will enter the Asian Games with confidence after winning gold medals at the 2022 edition in Hangzhou. The Indian women defeated Chinese Taipei 26-25 in the final, while the men beat Iran to claim the top prize.
Women’s captain Pushpa Rana said the growth of league kabaddi in India is helping strengthen the sport not only domestically but also at the international level.
“The league culture in our country is not only helping develop our own team and our players but is also strengthening Kabaddi in other countries. Players and coaches from different countries are getting exposure through our leagues and taking that experience back to their respective countries. This is helping the standard of the sport grow internationally,” she said.
Rana also praised the facilities at the SAI NCOE Gandhinagar, saying they had provided the team with a good environment for its preparations.
Men’s captain Sunil Kumar said the sport has become faster and more tactical, making the international competition increasingly challenging.
“Kabaddi has evolved significantly. The game is becoming faster and more tactical, and the competition at the international level is increasing. The training environment here has been very good, particularly the strength and conditioning facilities, which have supported our physical preparation. We are prepared for the challenge and will give our best at the Asian Games,” he said.
Women’s head coach Neeta Dadwe said the team had undergone extensive preparations, including camps in May, June, Ballari and Gandhinagar.
“We are very well prepared. We had a 15-day training camp in May, followed by a month-long camp in June, then another month-long camp at JSW Ballari and finally the camp here at SAI, Gandhinagar. We are looking forward to the Games,” she said.
Dadwe also thanked SAI for its support during the final camp and said the arrangements had helped the team prepare well.
Men’s head coach Balwan Singh backed both squads to perform strongly after seeing their commitment during the preparatory camp.
“Both the men’s and women’s teams have worked extremely hard during the camp. The players have shown great commitment, discipline and dedication throughout the preparation, and the quality of training gives us confidence about our performance at the Games,” he said.
Singh also pointed to the changing nature of kabaddi and its growing popularity beyond its traditional base.
“Kabaddi has evolved significantly over the years. It is becoming faster and more tactical, and the level of competition is continuously increasing. The sport is also gaining popularity in urban areas and is no longer limited to being seen as a rural sport,” he said.
The men’s team will be coached by Balwan Singh, assisted by BC Ramesh and Anup Kumar, while Neeta Dadwe will lead the women’s coaching staff with Mamtha Poojari as assistant coach.
“Kabaddi has evolved significantly over the years. It is becoming faster and more tactical, and the level of competition is continuously increasing. The sport is also gaining popularity in urban areas and is no longer limited to being seen as a rural sport,” he said.
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The Indian teams will also compete in the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 after the Asian Games. The championship is scheduled to be held at Veer Savarkar Stadium in Ahmedabad from October 10 to 20.