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Essay / Kabaddi, India's Fastest Growing Sport
Table of ContentsWhat is Kabaddi?Kabaddi's Resurgence in IndiaPro Kabaddi LeagueKabaddi is a sport that urban India doesn't have traditionally adopted. So how did modern times revive Kabaddi and become the fastest growing sport in India? This is the question we could ask ourselves if we continue to grow at our own pace. Certainly, it sounds mind-boggling, but one day it could happen and surpass all other sports and become the number one sport in India. Unfortunately, once neglected and left unnoticed, it is now increasingly ignored. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get an original essayWhat is Kabaddi?Kabaddi is a contact team sport played between two teams of seven players each. An ancient wrestling sport originating in South Asia, but primarily an Indian game. The word Kabaddi could be derived from the Tamil Nadu word “KAI-PIDI” meaning hand holding. This sport requires both the skill and strength to fight against opponents within the game. It is said to require self-defense in response to an attack and counter-attack reflexes. It is played on dirty and dusty grounds. The main goal of the game is for an attacking "raider" player to rush into the opposing team's half-court, tag as many violators as possible to score a point. Then return to your half-court without being attacked by defenders. The aim of the game is to score points within the time limit. In defense, the goal is to capture the invader by pinning him to the ground to prevent him from returning to his half-court. The future of Kabaddi is still unknown because despite the resurgence of Kabaddi in India, it remains second to cricket. The number of cricket fans based is much larger than that of Kabaddi. However, it still shocks us with the opinions and acceptance of Indian residents. Unfortunately, the PKL does not yet have global fan-based information. But we never know that in the coming years, it might attract worldwide attention, next to sports cricket. Nothing is impossible since Kabaddi is now getting so much attention from everyone. The resurgence of Kabaddi in India The fame of Kabaddi has seen a significant increase to the point that it has become the fastest growing sport in India. Its public attention began with the 2006 Asian Games. Since then, the spotlight on Kabaddi has been revived with the launch of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) in 2014. PKL has elevated the sport and continues now to spread awareness about Kabaddi. Attention to Kabaddi has increased to 14% since 2015, and interest to PKL has increased to 33%. The popularity of the said sport quickly grew and even surpassed the popularity of football in the country. In the same year, Star Sports had purchased the television rights of the Pro Kabaddi League, which became one of the network's largest viewers and the country's leading. leagues of all time. Although at first glance this seems implausible due to the unpopularity of the sport. This proved the doubters wrong as Kabaddi grabbed the attention of the masses. The sport has been embraced by both rural and urban residents and has proven to be the second most watched sport in India after cricket. During the years 2016 and 2017, the Pro Kabaddi League (KPL) amplified the television audience by almost a hundred million. views in one year and surpassed the views of other world cup sports. This PKL league had become one of the most watched sports in the world,