There is a popular belief that Kabaddi originated in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. According to a legend, this game came into existence, when a boy hit another boy for his candy. The boy who was hit chased the boy who hit him, and hit him back and ran away. Holding the breath while chasing was an added element when the game evolved. Kabaddi is the match of one against seven. Also known as the "Game of the Masses", it has simple, easy to comprehend rules and requires minimum equipment while having all the ingredients of thrill and excitement and audience appeal than any other popular game, such as football or basketball enjoy. This is probably the only game of offence and defense in which attack is an individual attempt, while defense is a combined effort.

There are various names to this game in Tamil: kabaddi, sadugudu, gudugudu, palinjadugudu and sadugoodatthi (Tamil). The word Kabaddi may have originated from the Tamil words kai (hand) and pidi (catch). Kabaddi is also known as Chedugudu or Hu-Tu-Tu in southern parts of India, Hadudu (Men) and Chu - Kit-Kit (women) in eastern India, and Kabaddi in northern India. The sport is also popular in Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Japan and Pakistan. Kabaddi is very famous and popular in Punjab and there is a belief that the game has its roots in the way Abhimanyu was killed in Chakravyuha by the kauravas.

Kabaddi is 4,000-year-old game and it is a team sport, which requires both skill and power and combines the characteristics of wrestling and rugby. Thus, it can be said that Kabaddi has a log history dating back to pre-historic times. It was originally meant to develop self-defense, in addition to responses to attack and reflexes of counter attack by individuals and by groups or teams. The game was very popular in the southern part of Asia played in its different forms and different names. A dramatized version of the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata, has made an analogy of the game to a tight situation faced by Abhimanyu, the heir of the Pandava kings when the enemy surrounds him on all sides. It also refers to the unique talent of Arjuna, to go inside the wall of enemies, destroy them all and come back unscathed. Buddhist literature speaks of the Gautam Buddha playing Kabaddi for recreation. History also reveals that princes of yore played Kabaddi to display their strength and won their brides.

It is a rather simple and inexpensive game, and neither requires a massive playing area, nor any expensive equipment. This explains the popularity of the game in rural India. Kabaddi is played all over Asia with minor variations. The various forms of Kabaddi are as follows:

Amar: This form of Kabaddi is played based on points scored by both sides. The play field has no specific measurements and 9 to 11 players constitute each of the teams. In this form of Kabaddi, there is no out and revival system or Lona (a bonus of two points awarded to the team that gets all opponents out) but is a time bound game. This form of the game ensures that the players remain in the court throughout the match and thus, can give their best, without the fear of having to miss out a great deal of action.

Gemini / Gaminee: With nine players on each side, this form of the game brings with it an inherent fear. The fear of becoming "out", because it literally means you have to go out of the court and wait there until all your opponents face the same fate or inflict the same consequence on your team mates. The team that is successful in getting all the opponents out is awarded a point. . This is being used in the modern version with a slight variation; a team successful in getting all the opponents out is awarded a bonus of two points called the Lona. Once all the players of a team are dismissed, the team is revived and the game continues till five or seven such points are gained by either of the teams. This game is not time bound, and can be quite frustrating for a player who is out early, to wait until a Lona is achieved.

Surjeevani: This form of Kabaddi more or less resembles the modern version of the game. Here, players who are out are instantly revived and the game lasts for 40 minutes with a 5-minute break in between. With nine players a side, a Lona is awarded to the team that succeeds in getting all the opponent team members out. At the end of 40 minutes, the team with the maximum points is declared the winner. This game is played on a bigger field compared to the other two forms of the game. Modern Kabaddi resembles this form of Kabaddi a great deal especially with regard to out and revival system, however the present form of Kabaddi is a synthesis of all three forms, with notable changes with regards to rules and regulations.

The Modern Kabaddi: In the modern version, two teams collect points by either touching or capturing an opponent member, very similar to the surjeevani form of the game. Each team consists of 12 players, of which seven are on court at a time, and five in reserve. Alternating in defence and offence, the two teams aim for higher points within the time limit of 40 minutes. The game consists of two 20-minute halves, with a break of five minutes. The playground should be level and soft. It shall be made of earth, manure or saw dust. The playing area is 12.50m x 10m, divided by a line into two halves. Each half shall measure 10 meters x 6.25 meters. There shall be strip of one meter wide on each side of the play field, which is called lobby. The side winning the toss sends a `raider`, who enters the opponents` court chanting, `kabaddi-kabaddi`. The repeated clear sound of "Kabaddi" within the course of one`s respiration is called "cant".

The raider`s aim is to touch any or all players on the opposing side, and return to his court in one breath. The person, whom the raider touches, will then be out. The defending team tries to hold the raider, and stop him from returning to his own court, until he takes another breath. If the raider cannot return to his court in the same breath while chanting `kabaddi`, he will be declared out. Each team alternates in sending a player into the opponents` court. If a player goes out of the boundary line during the course of the play, or if any part of his body touches the ground outside the boundary, he will be out, except during a struggle. When a raider touches a defender or a defender touches a raider, it is called a struggle. When a raider touches a defender or a defender touches a raider, it is called a struggle.

Development of Kabbadi
Kabaddi attained National status in the year 1918. Maharashtra was the pioneer state to bring the game to the National platform. Standard rules and regulations were formulated in 1918 but were brought out in print in the year 1923 and in this very year, an All India Tournament was organized at Baroda with these rules. Kabaddi has not looked back since then and numerous tournaments are organized all over the country through out the year. Kabaddi received its first international exposure during the 1936 Berlin Olympics, demonstrated by Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak Mandal, Amaravati, Maharashtra.

The game was introduced in the Indian Olympic Games at Calcutta, in the year 1938. It was in 1950, that the All India Kabaddi Federation came into existence. Regular conduct of National level championships as per laid down rules and regulations began with effect from the year 1952. After the formation of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India, the first men`s Nationals were held in Madras (now Chennai), while the women`s Nationals were held in Calcutta in the year 1955.

However, the rules were modified and some changes were introduced to the game during the National Championships held at New Delhi in the year 1954. Kabaddi was supposed to be a demonstration game in the World youth festival held at Moscow in 1957, but due to various unforeseen reasons, this could not be accomplished. The game was included in the curriculum of the Indian University Sports Control Board as a main sports discipline in the year 1961. The game got further recognition when the School Games Federation of India included it in the school games in the year 1962. This body has taken up the responsibility of organizing state and national level competitions for school going children all over the country in various sports on a regular basis, every year.

Kabaddi was included in the curriculum of Regular Diploma courses in coaching conducted by the National Institute of Sports, the premier institute to develop sports in the country with effect from the year 1971. In 1972, the Amateur Kabaddi Federation was formed. This body was formed with a view to popularize the game in the neighboring countries and organize regular National level tournaments. After the formation of this body, sub-junior and junior sections were included in Kabaddi national level tournaments, as a regular feature.

There after, qualified coaches in Kabaddi are being produced every year. Nepal & Bangladesh also send in their coaches for the diploma course in various disciplines including Kabaddi, regularly. These qualified coaches, further equipped with a strong backup in sports science, train players at different levels in a systematic manner. In the year 1974, the Indian men`s team toured Bangladesh as part of the cultural exchange program to play five test matches in different parts of the country. The Bangladesh returned the visit in the year 1979 and played five test matches in India.

The Asian Amateur Kabaddi Federation was formed in the year 1978, under the chairmanship of Sharad Pawar during the silver jubilee celebrations of National Kabaddi Championships in India, organized at Bhilai, Madhya Pradesh. The first Asian Championship in Kabaddi was organized in Calcutta, in the year 1980. A goodwill tour was organized in the year 1981 in which, the Indian men & women teams visited Thailand, Japan and Malaysia to play exhibition Kabaddi matches. Federation Cup Kabaddi matches also commenced in the year 1981. Kabaddi was included as a demonstration game in the IX Asian Games hosted by India in the year 1982. In the year 1984, an open Inter- National tournament was organized at Mumbai, in India. During the Tricentenary celebrations of the city of Calcutta, an international invitation Kabaddi Tournament was organized in the city.

The South Asian Federation included Kabaddi as a regular sports discipline from the year 1984. Kabaddi was played for first time in the SAF games at Dhaka, Bangladesh. Since then Kabaddi is being included in every SAF Games, which is played every once in two years. For the first time in the Inter-National Kabaddi scenario, India faced defeat at the hands of Pakistan and had to be satisfied with second place, winning the silver medal, in the VI SAF Games at Dhaka, Bangladesh, in the year 1993.

The second Asian Championship was hosted by India and was organized at Jaipur, Rajasthan. Malaysia and Japan participated for the first time in this Championship. In the XI Asian Games held in the year 1990 at Beijing, China, Kabaddi was included in the main disciplines. This was a major landmark in the history of Kabaddi. India won the Gold Medal, which was a proud and unforgettable moment for Kabaddi lovers who had strived hard to bring Kabaddi to the Asian platform. India has been the reigning champion in the succeeding Asian Games held in 1994 at Hiroshima, Japan and in the Asian Games held in 1998 at Bangkok in Thailand.

An International Women`s Kabaddi tournament was held in the year 1995, titled, the Nike Gold Cup sponsored by NIKE, Japan. The III Asian Championship was hosted by Sri-Lanka in the year 2000. Sri-Lanka secured a silver medal, defeating Kabaddi stalwarts Pakistan, in this Championship. Kabaddi was introduced to the African countries as India hosted a demonstration sport in the Afro-Asian Games, in 2002. This has been made possible, thanks to the efforts of Mr. J.S.Gehlot, President, Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India and the Indian Olympic Association. The first World Kabaddi Championship was organized in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, when more than 14,000 people packed the Copps Coliseum, to watch the top players from India, Pakistan, Canada, England, and the United States compete.

The first ever Kabaddi world cup was held in Mumbai, India in 2004. India won the world cup defeating Iran 55- 27. The 2005 Kabaddi world cup was won by Canada East, and the 2006 world cup which was held in Hamilton, Ontario, was clinched by the USA, defeating England, 51 - 41.

India surprisingly lost to USA, 45 - 34 in the very second match, and to England, 52 - 39 in the fourth match. Some of the outstanding players who have won the Arjuna Award are Balwinder Phiddu, Sh. Sadanand Mahadeo Shetty, Sh. Sadanand Mahadeo Shetty, Sh. Shakuntla Panghar Kholavakar, Sh. Shantaram Jaatu, Kumari Monika Nath, Kumari Maya Kashi Nath, Rama Sarkar, Sh. Sanjeev Kumar, Sunder Singh and Shri Ramesh Kumar.