Origins and early development Kabaddi, an indigenous contact sport originating in ancient India, traces its roots to prehistoric times, with references in Hindu epics like the
Mahabharata. The game's modern standardised form emerged in the early 20th century, particularly in
Maharashtra, where basic rules were formalised in 1921 and refined in 1923. These developments enabled the inaugural All India Kabaddi Tournament in 1923, marking the shift from informal rural contests to structured competitions. The formation of the All India Kabaddi Federation in 1950 was a pivotal step in institutionalising the sport, compiling uniform rules and promoting it across the country. This was followed by the launch of the Senior National Kabaddi Championship in 1952, which served as a key platform for identifying talent. In 1972, the
Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) was established, replacing the earlier body and gaining affiliation with the
Indian Olympic Association, thereby enhancing governance and resources for player development. A further demonstration at the
1982 Asian Games set the stage for kabaddi's inclusion as a medal sport in 1990. In the
1998 Asian Games held in
Bangkok, the team beat arch rivals Pakistan for the gold medal, establishing an unbroken streak of three Asian Games victories. Entering the 2000s, India's dominance intensified. India beat Bangladesh in the gold medal match of the
2002 Asian Games, held in
Busan. India won the inaugural
Kabaddi World Cup in 2004 in
Mumbai, beating Iran by a 55–27 margin. They repeated the feat three years later in
Panvel, beating the Iranians 29–19. At the
2006 Asian Games, India beat Pakistan 35–23 to win their fifth consecutive gold medal at the tournament. These triumphs, often against strong regional foes like Iran and Pakistan, were bolstered by the AKFI's structured coaching and national camps, transforming kabaddi from a regional pastime into India's flagship contact sport.
Modern era (2010s–present) The modern era has been marked by sustained dominance bolstered by the professionalisation of the sport through the
Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), which launched in 2014 and provided a high-profile platform for talent development and exposure. The PKL's influence became evident as national team players like
Anup Kumar and
Ajay Thakur transitioned seamlessly between league and international duties. In 2017, India won the
Asian Kabaddi Championship led by raider
Ajay Thakur with raider
Pardeep Narwal bagging a super 10, beating Pakistan in the final by 36–22. India won the
2018 Dubai Kabaddi Masters tournament, beating Iran 44–26 in the final. A rare setback occurred at the
2018 Asian Games in
Jakarta. India lost to
South Korea 23–24 in the group stages—the team's first ever loss in Asian Games history. Despite the loss, India qualified for the semi-finals but lost 27–18 to
Iran, who went on to win the gold, leaving India with bronze. India won the gold at the
2019 South Asian Games led by
Deepak Niwas Hooda, beating Sri Lanka in the final by 51–18, with raiders
Pawan Sehrawat,
Naveen Kumar, and
Pardeep Narwal. The Indian team did not play in any tournaments for a prolonged period from December 2019 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. India's resurgence began in 2023, when they won the
Asian Kabaddi Championship by defeating Iran 42–32 in the final. India then reasserted supremacy at the
2022 Asian Games in
Hangzhou, where the men's team defeated Iran 33–29 in the final to claim their eighth gold, avenging the 2018 loss. In March 2025, the men's team clinched the
2025 Kabaddi World Cup in
Wolverhampton, United Kingdom, organised by World Kabaddi, with a narrow 44–41 win over host nation England in the final. == Governing body and formats ==