Teams from 29 states will compete at the Patliputra Sports Complex from 1 to 4 November, with junior India selectors and PKL scouts watching.
The Patliputra Sports Complex in Patna will host the 52nd Junior National Boys Kabaddi Championship from Sunday, 1 November to Wednesday, 4 November, with teams from 29 states chasing the national title and, more importantly for many of the players, a place in the junior India squad and a look from Pro Kabaddi League franchises.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary will inaugurate the championship at 3 pm on 1 November. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Sports Minister Shreyasi Singh will attend the opening ceremony as special guests. Matches will be played across two courts over the four days.
The event is being organised under the aegis of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India and jointly hosted by the Bihar State Kabaddi Association and the Bihar State Sports Authority (BSSA), in association with the state Sports Department. BSSA Director General-cum-Chief Executive Officer Ravindran Shankaran, Organising Secretary Kumar Vijay Singh and Bihar State Kabaddi Association President Apoorva Sukant outlined the preparations at a press conference in Patna on Saturday, 31 October.
The championship doubles as a selection event for the junior Indian kabaddi team. A three-member selection committee will be present throughout: former India coach E. Bhaskaran, Arjuna Award recipient Manjeet Chhillar and international player Rishank Devadiga.
That panel brings coaching and playing experience at the highest level of the sport, and the organisers expect it to give young competitors a chance to show their ability in front of people directly involved in national-level kabaddi.
Scouts from various Pro Kabaddi League franchises, along with coaches and team management representatives, will monitor performances during the championship. According to the organisers, their aim is to identify promising talent and assess players who could join their franchises in the future.
For junior players, a strong showing on either of the two courts in Patna could therefore open two doors at once: a national call-up and a route into the professional league.
Several prominent names from Indian kabaddi are also expected to attend to encourage the participants. They include India women’s team member Riya Kumari, Dronacharya Award-winning coach Balwan Singh, India men’s team player Arjun Deshwal and Bihar’s own Pro Kabaddi player Sandeep Kumar.
The organisers have deployed 50 officials to oversee the technical conduct of the tournament and keep matches running smoothly. Accommodation and food arrangements have been made for approximately 615 participants, and logistical and technical arrangements for the visiting teams and officials are being coordinated for the full four days.
The home side has completed a month-long training camp in Rajgir ahead of the championship. Ravi Kumar from Begusarai will captain Bihar, with Ramesh Kumar Yadav as head coach and Anand Kumar Singh as assistant coach. Bihar will be looking to make the most of playing on home ground against representatives from across the country.
The championship opens with the inauguration at 3 pm on Sunday, 1 November, and concludes on Wednesday, 4 November at the Patliputra Sports Complex.
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