Kabaddi: Game of the Soil that Cuts Across Caste Barriers

Circle-style kabaddi is one of the first sports that boys in Panjab’s villages play. Its appeal lies in its simplicity and it can be played without any equipment. Often the players don’t even wear shoes. The rules of the game are simple and it is played on mud. It is physically demanding which is an added attraction for youth who take pride in building a strong physique. The game—also known as Panjab-style kabaddi—is played at fairs, community gatherings, and local tournaments. The kabaddi season in Panjab runs alongside the winter agricultural calendar. A Dalit (marginalized caste) youth Soni Singh says, ‘Had I not pursued kabaddi, even buying a bicycle would have been a challenge’. Born into a Dalit family in Bhadra village in Panjab’s Mansa district that is dominated by the land-owning upper caste Jat Sikh community, Soni’s father worked as a farm laborer. ‘I too worked on others’ farms to supplement the family income. I once hoped to join the armed forces to escape poverty, but failed the medical due to an eye injury sustained while playing kabaddi,’ he says. After the injury, Soni focused entirely on the sport and moved his family from a two-room house to a bungalow in the village. ‘Kabaddi has given me everything—money, fame, and respect. Today, my entire village takes pride in the fact that I am carrying its name across Panjab and abroad,’ says the 27-year-old who is popularly known as Soni Bhadra. Soni plays for the Non Resident Indian Nakodar Club in Panjab, and has built a career overseas. In the last four years, he has played in New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. In 2025, Shilu Balhara, the son of a marginal farmer in Bahu Akbarpur village, Rohtak district, Haryana was among the highest-paid players at the Toronto-based United Brampton Kabaddi Club. A three-month contract at the club earns star players USD 7.5–8M. As a top stopper, he has also won over a dozen tractors so far. Balhara’s rise reflects the transformation kabaddi has brought in the social and economic standing of hundreds of youth in the region. While kabaddi is breaking caste barriers, the game is also mired in political patronage, corruption, gangsterism, and drug addiction scandals.