By Kirti Patil
Pune: Just a few months before the big Kabaddi extravaganza—the Pro Kabaddi League gets going, the Balewadi Sports Complex is all set to host the Pune League Kabaddi, which acts as a feeder league to identify the upcoming players.
The Pune League Kabaddi involving 8 teams is being organised to celebrate birthday of Mr. Ajit Pawar, who has recently taken oath as the deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, would inaugurate the League at the Boxing Hall of the Sports Complex Mr. Baburao Chandere, working President of Maharashtra State Kabaddi Association. Announced at a Press conference here. The League is being organised by Satej Sangh, Baner, under the aegis of the Maharashtra State Kabaddi Association, will run from July 18 to 23.
Satej Sangh has also lined up a simultaneous event—Maharashtra State Kabaddi Championship—for both men and women during the same dates 24 teams each have sent in their entries. “The State championship will run from July 19 to 23” said Mr. Chandere. He said the organisers would take enough care to see players get the required rest between matches. “Also given the dates are overlapping we will make sure that if a players’ team has back-to-back matches in the league and in the State championship, the Schedule will be changed to accommodate the player,” explained Mr. Chandere.
In all 720 players—144 from Pune district will be on show to display their skills which would come in handy as talent hunters for the Pro Kabaddi League are expected to do scouting.
Satej Sangh has put up a bumper prize money, with Rs. 6 lakh 65,000 each for the men and women categories.
The winning teams will get a prize of Rs. 2.5 lakh each and the runner-up teams will settle for Rs. 1.5 lakh each.
The Baburao Chandere Social Foundation and Satej Sangh have raised Rs. 19 lakh and 95,000 for the prize money, including team and individual, of the two events.
