Kabaddi is a very famous sport among men as well as women nowadays. It originated in Tamilnadu and has expanded among Asian countries. In Sri Lanka, people call it \’Chaggudu\’ in the countryside. Kabbadi is a contact team sport, played between two teams of seven players each. Players are taken out of the game if they are tagged or tackled, but they are brought in back again for each point scored by their team from a tag or tackle. It is played in a ground square court. A player goes to the opposed side saying \”kabaddi\” for each time he/she steps into the opposition. In Sri lankan countryside, people say \”gudu\” and try to tag one of the players in the opposition team. Players of the opposition get together and move and try not to be touched but to tackle the player who comes to their side. It has to be mentioned that even though they are tackled, if the player could touch the margin of the boundary, it scores a point. Watching a Kabaddi tournament is very energetic and it is really hard to play and score but the players who face it are indeed brave and strong mentally and physically.
There are such talented kabaddi players in the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and it is no surprise indeed . They have brought glory and pride to the university in various capacities. It began at zero point and now they are well known teams among the universities of Sri Lanka. Our very own graduates, Mr. Buddika and Mr. Ishara initiated the men\’s team in 2017 with two players who had played kabaddi before. Afterwards, a better team was formed to face their very first tournament at the University of Peradeniya. Among five universities, our men\’s team won the runner-up in the Invitational National University Men\’s Kabaddi Championship 2017. They won the runner-up in 2019 at the same forementionned event and M. K. P. Saranga won the title, \’Best Defender\’ in that event. They were also able to achieve runner-up in National Men\’s Kabaddi Championship Bandaragama in 2019 within few years of commencement of the team.
In 2019, our women\’s kabaddi team saw its birth with strong players including three school level and national level players who are Dilshika Madushani, Sithara Deshani, Buddika Asiri, Shaini Umesha, Sachini Thilakarathna, Chathurika Harshani, Nesa Payus and Mithindi Senevirathne. In 2019, the team entered their very first tournament which was at the University of Sabaragamuwa. It was the Invitational National University Men\’s and Women\’s Kabaddi Championship which was the first tournament that was organised for the university women\’s kabaddi teams. Our women\’s team won the runner-up against a battle with four teams under the leadership of captain, Dilshika Madushani and the vice captain, Divya. For moulding both the men and women kabaddi teams in our university to its present skilful state, the former national player coach, K. A. R. Kumara has put in selfless commitment and it\’s a statement worthy of mention.
A sport builds up a well-balanced person in terms of mental and physical health . It trains a player to celebrate victory as well as to stand strong amidst failure .Sometimes, it entails risks, sometimes it forces players to take hard decisions and sometimes a sport teaches what life is and kabaddi is one such sport.
We, the Flames family, wish all the best for our skilful kabaddi teams to climb to the top of the ladder of victory and succees while radiating out exemplary team spirit.
Written by: Disala Randini
Graphic designed by : Jithmi Rajapaksha