Kabaddi got a major facelift Tuesday with the launch of the World Kabaddi League, a personal venture headed by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.
The league is all set for inauguration in mid-June at Thyagaraj Sports Complex here.
The league follows the Formula 1 touring sports format and will be played across four continents starting from August to December.
The official website of the World Kabaddi League (www.worldkabaddileague.net) was launched by Badal and Pargat Singh, sports administrator and Olympian, here Tuesday.
"In the northern region of the Indian sub-continent, kabaddi is an extremely popular sport and the last four kabaddi World Cups held in India bear testimony to this," Badal said.
"I am extremely proud to let the world know of India's sporting prowess in the field of kabaddi through World Kabaddi League.
"This league is extremely close to my heart and I envision it to grow by great leaps in the next few years.
"In its current form, the league will be played across four continents with access to nearly 200 kabaddi clubs across the world. For kabaddi, I believe this is just the beginning," he said.
Former India hockey captain Pargat Singh, commissioner for the World Kabaddi League, has been closely involved in the daily scope of operations of the league.
"After successfully executing four editions of the Kabaddi World Cup in Punjab, we realised the need for a professional kabaddi league which connects South Asians across the world with their traditional heritage. By adding more action-oriented elements to this original Indian contact team sport, we are making it viewer-friendly," he said.
