Kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi: The chant of India’s indigenous sport enabling holistic development

“Kabaddi…Kabaddi…Kabaddi.” This is not just a chant for 15-year-old B. Navya; it is a mould that has shaped her, made her confident and inspired her to dream bigger.

“Since I started playing Kabaddi, I have learnt so much. With every practice and match, my confidence has grown, and I’ve become braver. I feel proud and happy to achieve things both on and off the field,” shares the aspiring athlete, reflecting on her journey over the years.

Navya resides with her parents and elder sister in Kothapeta, Dharmavaram, just a few kilometres away from the Dharmavaram Sports and Education Centre. Her parents, B. Kesava and Parimala, earn a daily wage by working in a small-scale weaving business in the local area. For both Navya and her sister, their parents always stood up, supporting their dreams and aspirations.

“I am more than proud of my daughter. She is not just great at sports but also at education. Our neighbours and my friends are praising my daughter for her achievements. What more could a parent ask for?” a proud father shares.

As she recalls her journey with Kabaddi, she shares, “I was in 7th grade when Prithvi-coach (a volunteer kabaddi coach from the Dharmavaram centre) came to our school and introduced us to Kabaddi. I was very excited. I came home and shared everything with my parents, and they enrolled me in Kabaddi at the Centre”.

Her introduction to sports came through the school outreach programme by Anantapur Sports Academy (ASA). These outreach initiatives, delivered in partnership with local schools, ensure the students are provided with the resources needed for enhanced learning experiences, community engagement, and overall development.

The school outreach programme plays a crucial role in strengthening the grassroots sports culture, reaching more children between the ages of 6 to 18. By creating access to sport and play it encourages physical activity, helping children stay active and healthy. With an inclusive approach, the outreach initiative also plays a key role in increasing female participation in sport.

At ASA, coaches actively engage with local schools and communities to promote the value of sports and play for children and young people. In 2024-25, ASA reached 4,335 children, including 46% girls, from 61 schools across Anantapur and Sri Sathya Sai districts in five sports, namely, cricket, football, hockey, kabaddi and tennis. These outreach programmes not only ensure every child’s right to play, but also help uncover rural talents like Navya and tap the hidden potential of the grassroots.

After joining the Dharmavaram sports centre in 2022, Navya picked up kabaddi under Prithvi. “Since she joined here, she has shown great interest in Kabaddi, and her dedication has been unwavering. We are very confident that she can reach heights through the current planned training and the support she receives from her family,” shares her coach.

Navya also participates in ASA’s rural sports leagues, representing the Dharmavaram centre and competing against other kabaddi clubs in the leagues. She shares, “Leagues have helped me to understand my weaknesses and play better. Also, I made a lot of new friends from other centres. I can see the change in me, both in the game and my social skills.”

In 2023, following her exceptional performance in districts and state-level, Navya was selected for the Andhra Pradesh Kabaddi team for the 35th Sub-Junior National Kabaddi Championship in Bihar, her first milestone. The following year, she again had the opportunity to represent Andhra Pradesh at the national-level. This time, she earned her spot for the 63rd School Games Federation U-17 National Kabaddi Tournament 2024.

Her aspirations were not limited to sports but extended to education as well. “Navya is a very vibrant student in my class. She gets along well with everyone, and even when she misses a few classes during her competitions, she competes equally in her studies,” says Jyothi, the young athlete’s class teacher.

Navya sets an example for her peers, clearly showing how sport and play are important while balancing academics. In the 2024-25 10th-grade public examinations, she scored 472 marks out of 600, an achievement that made her parents and teacher proud.

As Navya continues to achieve milestones on and off the field, her journey stands as a powerful example in the sporting ecosystem, highlighting the need to strengthen grassroots sports in India. It emphasises the importance of nurturing rural talents by creating inclusive and supportive playing spaces, where each child can grow, not just as an athlete, but as a confident and capable individual,  ready to tackle any barriers.