Tokai, September 26, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India women’s Kabaddi captain Pushpa Rana has called for the sport to be included in the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics after leading the team to a record-extending fourth Asian Games gold medal.
India defeated 2018 champions Iran 37-34 in a closely fought final at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium to successfully defend the gold medal they won at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.
Speaking after the victory, Pushpa pointed to the growing strength of Kabaddi in countries outside India and said the sport should be given a platform on the global stage rather than remaining limited to the Asian Games.
“Iran is a very good team. They have produced some strong matches against us. Chinese Taipei is also doing very well. There is already improvement in all the countries. And we want Kabaddi to grow very well in all the countries so that Kabaddi can come to the Commonwealth Games and Olympics in the future,” she said.
Pushpa also called for a full-fledged Women’s Pro Kabaddi League, saying female players should receive the same kind of platform available to men.
“We want to get a good platform for children like the Pro Kabaddi, and women should get the same platform that the boys have got for Pro Kabaddi. Kabaddi should be added to the Commonwealth Games and Olympics. This is our demand,” she added.
Reflecting on India’s campaign, Pushpa said winning gold had been the team’s objective from the outset.
“This was in our minds from the beginning (winning gold). We played all the matches with the same mindset. We wanted to win every match even if the opposition team was strong. Every player knew how to bring the match in our favour,” she said.
She acknowledged the pressure associated with India’s strong record in Kabaddi but said the team’s preparation helped them handle the expectations.
“Yes, the silver would have been less. Kabaddi has mostly brought gold, so the pressure of that thing is always there,” Pushpa said.
She added that the expectations of Indian supporters also weighed on the players, but credited their hard work, coaches, federation and government support for helping them deliver the gold medal.
Pushpa dedicated the victory to the entire nation and reiterated the team’s desire to see women’s Kabaddi receive greater opportunities in the future.
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