Sun, Samosa’s and sport were the order of the day as the first Kabaddi Cup since 2017 took place in Gravesham. Over 2500 people attended the tournament and came from around England. The sports festival which took place on the playing grounds of the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara was very well received and was arranged by the Gravesend Kabaddi Club, the Gurdwara and community partners including Kent Equality Cohesion Council.

Food and drink were also on offer throughout the day providing refreshments to all. 8 teams took part from around England including Coventry, Birmingham, Leicester, Hayes, Reading and eventual winners Slough. The Gravesend and Barking Team was eliminated early but this did not dampen the enthusiasm of the local crowd who cheered on the competitors eagerly.

Satnam Singh, Manager of the Gravesend Kabaddi Club commented, “I am so pleased with how well the tournament was received and the enthusiasm shown on the day. Here at the club we are passionate about Kabaddi and want to make sure that the sport is accessible to everyone. We also want to give young people a chance to know the game and engage with it. Kabaddi is a physical game that requires a lot of strength and stamina but it also requires focus. These are vital skills that we encourage all to learn, especially the youth. So I am glad that if anything, we were able to showcase the many positive qualities of the game.”

Gurvinder Sandher MBE the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “It was a pleasure to be involved in organising this year’s Kabaddi Cup Tournament in Gravesend. The last tournament took place 6 years ago and a great deal has happened since then including the pandemic. However we believe that sporting events like these, especially ones that have cultural significance for many, are important and necessary to deliver. Kabaddi is a unique sport hailing from the Indian Sub-Continent and has a strong following nationally. We are really pleased that the event went well and all who attended enjoyed. We look forward to working with the Gravesend Kabaddi Club, the Gurdwara and community partners again, to continue delivering culturally diverse sports events.”