SportsAugust 8, 2026

kabaddi

kuh-BAH-dee

Definition

A contact team sport of South Asian origin where a player enters the opponent's half to tag members of the opposing team while holding their breath.

Etymology

The word originates from the Tamil word 'kai-pidi', meaning 'to hold hands', reflecting the central mechanic of the game. It entered English from Indian vernacular languages as the sport gained global recognition.

In the news

Although the article focuses on cricket, the mention of kabaddi provides context regarding regional sports culture in India, where Devajit Saikia holds influence. It highlights the prominence of indigenous sports alongside international cricket in the Indian sporting landscape.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia set to meet VVS Laxman at CoE amid injury crisis

Read the full article ↗

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