Patna: A record number of young women athletes turned up for the selection trials of the Second Bihar Women’s Kabaddi League at the Pataliputra Sports Complex in Patna, signalling growing enthusiasm for the sport across the state. Organised by the Bihar State Sports Authority, the trials saw participation from more than 450 players competing for a place in the upcoming league.
The tournament, scheduled to be held from March 6th to 12th at the indoor hall of the same complex, is being jointly organised by the Department of Sports, the Bihar State Sports Authority and the Bihar Kabaddi Association. Six teams will compete in the week-long league, which aims to strengthen the women’s kabaddi ecosystem and provide a professional platform to emerging talent.
Following a day-long evaluation, selectors shortlisted 120 players for a preparatory training camp. The camp will begin on February 16 and will focus on fitness, match readiness and technical skills under the guidance of experienced coaches. Officials said the structured programme is designed to prepare athletes for competitive play and raise overall performance standards.
Ravindran Shankaran, director general-cum-chief executive officer of the Bihar State Sports Authority, said the players would be distributed evenly across the six teams after training to ensure balanced competition. Each team will consist of 14 main players along with three reserves, preventing any side from having an undue advantage.
The strong turnout reflects the rising popularity of women’s kabaddi in Bihar, particularly after the success of the league’s previous edition. Shankaran thanked the Bihar Kabaddi Association and the selection panel for conducting the trials smoothly. The selection committee included experts Mangala Desai from Hyderabad, Amita Singh from Patna and Ramesh Kumar Yadav from the Prohibition Department, Patna.
