Patna, June 8: The Bihar State Sports Authority has announced the launch of the inaugural Bihar Women’s Kabaddi League 2024, slated to take place from June 10 to June 16 at the Patliputra Sports Complex in Kankarbagh, Patna. Raveendran Sankaran, Director General cum Chief Executive Officer of the Bihar State Sports Authority, shared this exciting news during a press briefing held at the Patliputra Sports Complex today.
Sankaran highlighted the widespread popularity of Kabaddi throughout Bihar, underscoring its significance among both male and female players. He also acknowledged the Bihar government’s support of the sport, exemplified by its sponsorship of the Patna Pirates team in the recently concluded 10th Pro Kabaddi League.
The Bihar Women’s Kabaddi League aims to tap into the abundant talent among female players in Bihar, providing them with a platform to showcase their skills on a national stage. Sankaran emphasized the collaborative efforts of various government bodies, sports associations, trainers, and district sports officers in making the league a reality.
Under the expert guidance of Kavita Selvaraj, a former gold medalist player and current coach of the Indian women’s Kabaddi team, 96 players were carefully selected from a pool of 480 based on their abilities and talents. These players underwent intensive training during a 15-day camp supervised by Kavita. The selected players were then divided into six teams through a transparent lottery system, ensuring equal representation and the inclusion of female coaches or assistant coaches in each team.
The league promises to deliver excitement with six matches scheduled daily, with each team playing two matches per day, amounting to a total of 34 matches. Matches will be held in two sessions, from 7 am to 10 am and 6 pm to 9 pm, with free entry for spectators. The teams have garnered sponsorship from government corporations and private institutions, with each team representing a different district of Bihar.
To incentivize and recognize the efforts of the players, cash prizes will be awarded to the top-performing teams. The winning team will receive Rs. 1.5 lakh, the runner-up Rs. 1 lakh, and the third-place team Rs. 50,000.
The league has been organized on a grand scale, with live telecast provided by the organization ‘Yuva’ and arrangements made for trophies, medals, certificates, and cash prizes. Coaches, assistant coaches, and team captains of all participating teams were also present at the press briefing alongside Sankaran.
