During his official visit to Poland, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted this ‘kabaddi connection’ in his address on Wednesday. Speaking at an event celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations between India and Poland, PM Modi emphasized how kabaddi has bridged the two nations.
“We are also connected through the game of kabaddi. This sport made its way to Poland from India and has since flourished. Poland will soon host its first Kabaddi Championship, and I wish their team the best of luck,” PM Modi remarked.
To further celebrate this shared passion, PM Modi is scheduled to meet with the captains of Poland’s men’s and women’s kabaddi teams on Thursday.
Kabaddi has found a strong following in Poland, partly due to its resemblance to European games like tag and wrestling. Poland currently holds the title of European Champions in kabaddi, and Michal Spickzo became the first European to compete in India’s Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), which is the fastest-growing professional league in the country.
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The sport was introduced in Poland by Abhishek Sharma, an Indian sportsperson who moved to Poland in 2007 after completing his MS in Biotechnology. With the support of International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) member Ashok Das, Sharma launched the ‘Kabaddi Project’ in 2010. He invested his earnings into promoting kabaddi, helping it gain a foothold in Poland.
The Poland men’s national team made headlines in 2016 when they qualified for the Kabaddi World Cup in Ahmedabad, India, and caused an upset by defeating the reigning World Champions, Iran, in a preliminary group match. Although they finished fourth in their group and did not advance, the result was a promising sign for the future of kabaddi in Poland.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit is expected to further strengthen the connection between India and Poland through their shared love of kabaddi.
