Deeply ingrained in India’s cultural legacy, kabaddi has brought great pride and respect for the country on international front. India is still a powerhouse in the sport having seven Asian Games gold medals as of 2023 and a strong representation in international contests.
Underneath this tradition of success, though, is a sad reality marked by financial difficulty, neglect, and little chances for kabaddi players unable to find a spot in the elite Pro Kabaddi League (PKL).
Many kabaddi athletes fight poverty despite their commitment to the sport; with little government backing and little financial incentives, they are left to pick menial professions to live.
The Hard Financial Reality Non-PKL Players Experience
The great majority of kabaddi players still suffer, even while the PKL has given a limited pool of athletes financial benefits and recognition.
A March 2025 Sportstar analysis indicates that around 60% of kabaddi players outside the PKL make less than Rs 50,000 yearly—an income inadequate to maintain a sporting career or a family.
Many athletes are driven to give up their sporting goals and choose low-paying employment for survival without a consistent income.
45% of kabaddi players in these areas now work as vegetable vendors or auto-rickshaw drivers to make ends meet, according to a February 2025 poll by the Indian Sports Welfare Group, which exposed the terrible scenario in kabaddi venues like Haryana and Punjab.
This financial volatility affects not only rural communities but also metropolitan players that suffer similarly from institutional support lacking.
Government Support Declining: Budget Cuts
Consistent reduction in government financing is one of the main causes of this issue. The governing body for the sport, the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), has lately seen declining funds. The Ministry of Youth Affairs set Rs 80 crore for kabaddi in 2025, a dramatic drop from Rs 120 crore in 2022.
Spread among more than 10,000 registered players, this little money barely covers basic demands including training, travel, and medical treatment.
The AKFI has not given players significant financial help despite demands for reform. Further highlighting the federation’s indifference to the welfare of its athletes, an internal memo dated March 2025 stated that the company turned down a proposed Rs 5,000 monthly stipend for rural players because of “budget constraints.”
Individual Challenges Underneath the Success of the Sport
The hardships of kabaddi players are real tales of dedication confronted with financial difficulty, not abstract. One such instance is 28-year-old former national player from Tamil Nadu Ramesh Kumar.
Kumar’s financial difficulties caused him to stop kabaddi in January 2025, even though he was representing India at several state and national events. He could no longer afford training costs with just Rs 10,000 in state assistance for the whole year; he now works daily pay laborer.
Geeta Devi, a 2023 Junior Nationals silver medalist, too discovered she was behind despite her successes. Currently supporting her family by selling snacks in Delhi, Geeta lacks a PKL contract or financial support.
The Times of India highlights her narrative, which shows a more general structural failure leaving most kabaddi players vulnerable and unsupported.
The skewed rewards and limited reach of the PKL
The emergence of the Pro Kabaddi League in 2014 gave the game hitherto unheard-of publicity and financial benefits. But about 150 to 200 players gain from the league’s rich contracts every season; thousands of others are left struggling. Unlike cricket, in which the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) offers pensions, central contracts, and insurance, kabaddi lacks such system.
For those who fail to reach the PKL, the future stays unknown without these long-term security precautions.
Many athletes are still driven away from professional competition by the lack of significant financial protections, notwithstanding the growing prestige of the sport.
Foreign Interest Notes Internal Neglect
Ironically, although Indian kabaddi players struggle with poverty, the game is becoming more and more popular elsewhere. Seeking to learn from the rich legacy and experience of India, nations including England have sent their national kabaddi teams to train there.
A March 2024 Reuters article claims that these foreign players frequently have stronger sponsorships and institutional support than their Indian colleagues, therefore highlighting the neglect of India’s sporting establishment.
A concerning drop in involvement
The future of the sport is being suffered by financial hardships and lack of support. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) released a 2025 report showing a 30% loss in junior kabaddi registrations since 2023, therefore indicating a drop in young athletes’ interest.
Lack of job stability and financial incentives prevents gifted athletes from choosing kabaddi as a career, therefore endangering the nation’s leadership in the game.
Without immediate changes like fixed stipends, insurance programs, and pensions, kabaddi runs the danger of losing a generation of outstanding athletes to financial difficulties.
The necessity of systematic reform
For most Indian players, kabaddi remains a sport of struggle even with its strong cultural roots and global popularity.
Talented athletes are nonetheless driven toward poverty and away from the game they love by government indifference, declining funding, and lack of financial stability.
India has to make major changes if it is to keep its supremacy and guarantee a kabaddi viable future.
Among these are guaranteed stipends for non-PKL players and thorough insurance and medical attention.
Retired athlete pension plans
More government money and open distribution of it
Kabaddi will remain a paradox until these structural problems are resolved: a sport where the country honors worldwide achievements while its athletes suffer unrelenting hardship behind-scenes.
