The Indian men’s and women’s Kabaddi squads received a warm send-off at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Gandhinagar on Tuesday ahead of the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
Both teams completed their final preparatory camp at the SAI NCOE from September 5 to 14 as part of their preparations for the continental sporting event.
The men’s team is headed by Head Coach Balwan Singh, assisted by BC Ramesh and Anup Kumar, while Neeta Dadwe is the head coach of the women’s team, with Mamtha Poojari serving as assistant coach. Both squads comprise 12 players along with their coaching and support staff.
As part of the send-off ceremony, the athletes were presented with traditional tika and garlands, while shawls were presented to the coaches, captains and vice-captains of both teams. The squads were also extended best wishes for their Asian Games campaign.
Women’s captain Pushpa Rana and men’s captain Sunil Kumar expressed confidence in their respective teams and said the squads were determined to replicate their gold-medal-winning performances from the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Rana said the growing league culture in India has played an important role in developing Indian Kabaddi while also contributing to the sport’s international growth.
“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,” Rana said.
She also praised the facilities at the SAI NCOE Gandhinagar, saying they had provided the team with a conducive environment for its preparations.
Sunil Kumar highlighted the changing nature of Kabaddi and the rising level of competition internationally.
“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,” he said.
Women’s head coach Neeta Dadwe said the team had undergone an extensive training programme in the build-up to the Asian Games.
“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,” Dadwe said.
She also thanked SAI for its support during the camp, particularly for promptly addressing the team’s requirements and providing adequate training, accommodation and dining arrangements.
Men’s head coach Balwan Singh praised the commitment and discipline shown by both squads during their preparations and expressed confidence in their prospects at the Games.
“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,” Singh said.
He also pointed to the evolution of Kabaddi, noting that the sport has become faster and more tactical and is gaining popularity in urban areas beyond its traditional rural following.
Regional Director, SAI RC Gandhinagar, Prashant Singh extended his best wishes to both teams and said the centre would continue to focus on providing athletes with quality facilities and support under SAI’s Athlete First approach.
“I am confident that you will give your very best and represent the country with pride. As part of our Athlete First approach, we will continue to work towards providing you with the best possible facilities, support and training environment,” he said.
