Kabaddi academies are important for the growth of kabaddi, which is now the second most popular sport in India after cricket. India has won gold medals in events like the Asian Games, Asian Championships, and World Cups. This success has helped kabaddi move from being a popular rural game to appearing on TV and online streaming platforms.
Famous players like Anup Kumar, Rakesh Kumar, Manjeet Chillar, Pardeep Narwal, Pawan Sehrawat, and Naveen Kumar have made kabaddi very popular in India. People play kabaddi all over the country, from Jammu to Kanyakumari and Gujarat to Nagaland, making it truly “Bharat Ka Khel” (India’s game).
Here, we will talk about five of our favorite Kabaddi Academies.
1. Khokhar Kabaddi Academy
There is no better place than this academy where a Dronacharya Awardee coach trains you. The academy is owned by Dronacharya Awardee Rambir Singh Khokhar. He has trained famous players like Ajay Thakur, Pardeep Narwal, and Surender Nada. After retiring from SAI, where he produced many great players, he is now back to coaching. He visits the academy every day, giving valuable tips to young players. In our conversations, he expressed confidence in training skilled and fit players who will one day play for India. He is supported by 2 full-time coaches.
The academy is located in the beautiful farmland of Anoop Sports Village, Sonipat, Haryana. It has a residential facility with a newly built, fully furnished hostel that offers all amenities and delicious food.
Facilities at the Academy:
- Indoor hall with 2 sets of mats
- Gym
- 4 outdoor mud grounds
- Running track
- Swimming pool
- Hostel
- Doctor on call
Practice Timings:
- Morning: 06:00 to 08:00 AM
- Evening: 03:00 to 06:00 PM
Fees:
- Admission fee: ₹5000 (one-time)
- Hostel fee: ₹7000 (monthly)
- Training fee: ₹3000 (monthly)
Address: Anoop Sports Village, Near Sector 23, Garhi Brahmanan, Sonipat, Haryana
Sonipat is easily reachable from all parts of the country by rail or road, with the nearest airport in New Delhi. The academy is accessible from any place in Sonipat, and shared autos are available from the railway station, bus stand, and other parts of the city.
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2. Chaudhari Ram Swarup Kabaddi Academy
Subedar Vijay Singh, a retired soldier, runs a Kabaddi academy in Adampur Dadhi, Charkhi Dadri, with his two younger brothers. Charkhi Dadri is a quiet town in the southwest of Haryana. Over the past 3 years, the academy has produced many talented players like Nitesh Kumar, Amit Sheoran, Ashish Kumar, Surender Gill, and Sumeet Kumar.
Academy Details:
- Location: Adampur Dadhi, 13 km from Charkhi Dadri on the Charkhi Dadri – Narnaul highway.
- Founder: Subedar Vijay Singh, a former defender, focuses on improving the defense skills of young players.
- Achievements: Players from the academy have participated in State and National tournaments. Nitesh Kumar, one of the players, made it to the Indian team that won the Gold Medal at the 2020 South Asian Games in Kathmandu.
Facilities:
- Mat
- Open gym
- 4 outdoor mud grounds
- Running track
- Hostel
- Doctor on call
Practice Timings:
- Morning: 5:15 AM – 7:00 AM
- Evening: 5:00 PM – 7:15 PM
Fees:
- Hostel fee: ₹4000
- No extra training fee
Address:
- Adampur Dadhi, Charkhi Dadri, Haryana
Charkhi Dadri is well-connected by rail and road, with the nearest airport in New Delhi. The academy is easily accessible from Charkhi Dadri, with regular bus services from the Charkhi Dadri bus stand. The academy is located on the left-hand side of the highway coming from Charkhi Dadri.
3. Shivneri Kabaddi Krida Sankul
Rajendra Rajale is a well-known figure among young amateur Kabaddi players. He is famous for his Kabaddi tutorial classes called “Seekh Panga” on the Kabaddi Adda YouTube channel. Rajendra Rajale, along with Satish Wadyar, runs Shivneri Kabaddi Krida Sankul in the suburbs of Pune. Both Rajale and Wadyar previously worked with the Indian armed forces and took voluntary retirement. Rajale’s passion for Kabaddi led him to complete NIS training and start this academy.
Rajale enjoys experimenting with raiding and defense skills and creates custom training plans for each player. The academy is located inside the Silver Fitness Club campus in Chinchwad, a suburb of Pune.
Players from the academy often participate in state and national tournaments in Maharashtra and beyond. With nearby hills, cross-country training is part of the monthly program designed by Rajale.
The academy’s facilities include:
- Indoor hall with mats
- Gym
- 3 outdoor mud grounds
- Running track
- Swimming pool
- Sauna
- Yoga hall
- Recreational games facility
- Hostel
- Doctor on call
Practice timing:
- Morning: 06:00 to 08:30 AM
- Evening: 06:00 to 08:00 PM
Fees:
- Hostel fee: 6000 INR (Monthly)
- Training fee: 1000 INR (Monthly)
Address: Jadhav Wadi, Chikhli, Chinchwad, Pune, Maharashtra
Pune is easily reachable by rail or road from all parts of the country, with the nearest airport being Pune. The academy is easily accessible from Pune railway station. Buses run regularly from Swargate and Shivaji Nagar bus stands to Chinchwad bus stand. You can hire autos or app-based taxi services for last-mile connectivity.
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4. Jagadeesh Kumble Academy
Kasaragod is a coastal town in Kerala, also known as God’s Own Country. Jagadeesh Kumble, an ex-army man and skilled raider, is the only Kabaddi Asian Games Gold Medalist from Kerala. He is well-known for his skill tutorials on the Kabaddi Adda YouTube channel called “Seekh Panga.” His Kabaddi academy is located in Kasaragod.
Kerala is famous for its football clubs, but Kasaragod district has a unique story. Jagadeesh Kumble shared that there are over 200 Kabaddi clubs in the district.
Under Jagadeesh Kumble’s guidance, players like Sagar B Krishna, Adarsh T, and Rajnish have shown excellent skills. He often conducts workshops for senior players. Despite limited infrastructure, most players come from Kasaragod and nearby states, staying in a lodge arranged by Jagadeesh Kumble at a discounted price.
Academy Facilities:
- Indoor hall with mat
- Lodge facility available
- Doctor on call
Practice Timings:
- Morning: 5:30 AM to 8:00 AM
- Evening: 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Fees:
- Admission fee: ₹1000 (one-time)
- Hostel fee: ₹5000 (monthly)
- Training fee: ₹1000 (monthly)
Address: Bindu Auditorium, Aswini Nagar, Kasaragod, Kerala
Kasaragod, on the west coast of India, is easily reachable by rail or road. The nearest airport is in Mangalore. The academy is accessible by auto from Kasaragod bus stand and railway station.
5. Midline Academy
Raigarh district in Maharashtra is known for Kabaddi. During the Kabaddi season, more than 100 tournaments take place in Raigarh on weekends. Although there are many clubs, there wasn’t an academy for professional Kabaddi training. Aniket Mhatre, who has an MBA in sports management, is a fitness enthusiast, and a Kabaddi player, saw this gap and started Midline Academy in Karjat two years ago.
At first, only people from Karjat and nearby villages joined, but soon, there were inquiries from all over Maharashtra and other states. Now, Aniket runs two batches each in the morning and evening. He also rented a house for a hostel. The Inter Midline tournament is a regular event where amateur players can show their skills.
The academy offers:
- Indoor hall with mat
- Gym
- Mud ground
- Running track
- Hostel
- Doctor on call
Practice timing:
- Morning: 06:15 to 08:30 AM
- Evening: 05:30 to 09:00 PM
Fees:
- Admission fee: 1000
- Hostel fee: 6000 (Monthly)
- Training fee: 1000 (Monthly)
Address: Police ground, Karjat, Raigarh, Maharashtra.
Karjat is easily accessible by rail or road, with the nearest airport in Mumbai. The academy is close to Karjat bus stand and railway station, and you can hire an auto-rickshaw to reach the academy.
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