National Under-17 Kabaddi championship kicks off in Kothagudem

The 69th National Under-17 Boys' Kabaddi Championship began on Wednesday at Edulla Bayyaram village in Kothagudem district. Organised by the School Games Federation and sponsored by Kandi Charitable Trust and Mouri Tech, the event was inaugurated by Ministers Vakiti Srihari and Seethakka, along with local MLAs and officials.

Kothagudem: The 69th National Under-17 Boys’ Kabaddi Championship commenced on a grand note on Wednesday at the ZPHS school grounds in Edulla Bayyaram village of Pinapaka mandal in Kothagudem district.

The national-level sports competition, organised under the aegis of School Games Federation (SGF) and sponsored by Kandi Charitable Trust and Mouri Tech, was inaugurated by Sports and Youth Services Minister Vakiti Srihari, Panchayat Raj Minister Seethakka along with Pinapaka MLA Payam Venkateswarlu, Bhadrachalam MLA Tellam Venkat Rao, district Collector Jitesh V. Patil, SP, B Rohith Raju and Bhadrachalam ITDA PO, B Rahul.

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Addressing the players, minister Srihari said that Kabaddi was a traditional sport that originated on Indian soil and showcases our culture and heritage to the world. It was a matter of pride that the national-level Kabaddi tournament was being held for the first time in the nation’s sporting history in a remote tribal village Edulla Bayyaram, whose name would resonate throughout the country.

Minister Seethakka appreciated the Kandi Venkata Subba Reddy family of Kandi Charitable Trust for taking the responsibility of organising the national-level Kabaddi competitions at Bayyaram. The trust made efforts over six months to make efficient arrangements for the event.

The SGF secretary Vasireddy Naresh Kumar informed that four courts have been developed to conduct matches. On the inaugural day sixteen matches were conducted with Karnataka team winning the inaugural match by defeating Gujarat team (51-27 points).

DEO B Nagalakshmi, DYSO M Parandama Reddy, the championship observer Nirmal Jangde, Kandi Charitable Trust functionaries Subba Reddy and Vishwa Bharath Reddy and others were present.