The inaugural Pulwama Kabaddi League was officially flagged off on Friday at Pulwama Cricket Stadium, marking the launch of one of Kashmir's most ambitious grassroots kabaddi initiatives and the centrepiece of the Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council's youth-engagement campaign.
Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Commissioner/Secretary for Youth Services and Sports, inaugurated the three-day open-category tournament before senior legislators, officials and a large gathering of players and spectators. The league runs from 1 to 3 May 2026, with eight teams and 96 athletes drawn from across the Kashmir Division.
The participating sides — Pulwama Panthers, Midline J&K, Harmokh Warriors (Bandipora), AR Warriors (Bandipora), United Kashmir (Baramulla), AKC Budgam, Kulgam Tigers and other district contenders — reflect the rising competitive footprint of kabaddi across the valley.
Dr Choudhary used the inaugural ceremony to frame sport as a vehicle for social change, calling on the players to act as ambassadors of the UT-wide Nasha-Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyan, the anti-drug campaign under whose mandate the league has been launched.
"Sport is not merely competition; it is a powerful instrument of social transformation," Dr Choudhary said. "Through these structured engagements, we aim to channel the energies of our youth into constructive pursuits, fostering discipline, resilience, and a drug-free lifestyle."
He returned to that theme the next day, posting after the opening: "It was an honour to inaugurate the Pulwama Kabaddi League this evening alongside Hon'ble MLAs of Pulwama and Secretary J&K Sports Council. Eight talented teams will compete over the next week for the PKL trophy, showcasing the ancient sport that runs deep in our cultural veins. Kabaddi teaches our youth discipline, teamwork, and resilience; values that build strong communities."
The opening drew strong cross-party representation, with Waheed-ur-Rehman Para, MLA Pulwama, and Hasnain Masoodi, MLA Pampore, attending alongside the Secretary of the J&K Sports Council. The wider event included a band performance by young boys and girls from Solace School and villages across Shopian and Pulwama, which Dr Choudhary singled out for praise. "Their band performance was among the finest I have ever witnessed, with every drumbeat and note speaking of talent, dedication and boundless potential," he said.
Pulwama, already known as the "Anand of Kashmir" for its dairy output, is now positioning itself as a sporting hub, with the league building on a recent grassroots success: Aamir Hamid Wani of Dadoora, Pulwama, earned selection in the Pro Kabaddi League Season 11 at a base price of Rs 9 lakh — a credential that lends professional weight to the homegrown pathway he has helped create.
The Pulwama Kabaddi League is the flagship event of a broader Sports Council programme. A volleyball tournament is planned for Shopian, a football league for Anantnag, and a series of women-oriented leagues is under development. The Council has framed it as a long-term commitment to structured youth engagement rather than a one-off exercise.
