The Indian men’s and women’s Kabaddi squads bound for the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 were given a warm send-off at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) National Centre of Excellence (NCOE), Gandhinagar, on Tuesday morning.
The men’s squad is led by Head Coach Balwan Singh, with BC Ramesh and Anup Kumar as Assistant Coaches, while the women’s team is coached by Neeta Dadwe, with Mamtha Poojari as Assistant Coach. Both squads comprise 12 players, coaches and support staff.
The two teams underwent their final preparatory camp at SAI NCOE Gandhinagar from September 5 to 14, 2026, as part of their preparations for the Asian Games.
Members of both squads received a traditional tika and garland, while traditional shawls were presented to the coaches, captains & vice-captains of both teams. The teams wished for success as they embarked on their Asian Games campaign.
Women’s team captain Pushpa Rana and men’s team captain Sunil Kumar expressed confidence in their respective squads and said that the
teams are ready to repeat the success of the 2022 Asian Games at Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
Pushpa Rana highlighted how the growing league culture in India is contributing not only to the development of Indian Kabaddi but also to the strengthening of the sport internationally. “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. The dedicated Kabaddi facilities here at SAI NCOE Gandhinagar have also provided us with a very good environment for our preparations,” she said.
- Sunil Kumar spoke about the changing nature of the sport and the increasingly competitive environment at the international level.
“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 team Head Coach Neeta Dadwe expressed confidence in the team’s preparations and highlighted the extensive training undertaken by the squad ahead of 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,” she said.
Thanking SAI for its support during the preparatory camp, Dadwe said, “We received very good support during our training camps here. The management was very receptive to our requirements and all our requirements were addressed promptly, which helped our preparations. The arrangements, including the Mess and the overall support extended to the teams, have been excellent. We are confident of doing our best at the Games.”
Men’s team Head Coach Balwan Singh lauded the commitment and hard work put in by both the men’s and women’s squads in the lead-up to the Asian Games and expressed confidence in their performance.
“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. We are grateful to SAI NCOE Gandhinagar and the management for the support extended to the teams during the camp,” he said.
Speaking about the evolution and growing popularity of Kabaddi, Singh said, “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.”
Addressing the athletes and support staff, Regional Director, SAI RC Gandhinagar, Shri Prashant Singh extended his best wishes to both teams for the Asian Games and expressed confidence in their preparations. Singh said, “I extend my best wishes to both teams for the Asian Games. 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. When you return to Gandhinagar, we will strive to ensure that you find the centre even better than the one you are leaving today”.
The Indian women’s Kabaddi team won the gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, defeating Chinese Taipei 26-25 in a closely contested final, while the Indian men’s team also clinched gold, defeating Iran in the final.
Following the Asian Games, both Indian squads are scheduled to compete in the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026, to be held at Veer Savarkar Stadium, Ahmedabad, from October 10 to 20, 2026.