Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network—Bantwal (EP)

Bantwal, Jan 29: State-level Kabaddi tournaments for men and women will be held on the Kallige grounds on Saturday February 7 and Sunday February 8. The tournaments will be held by Youth Congress Bantwal constituency and Kallige rural development committee with the co-operation of the state Amateur Kabaddi Association. They will be held in the 65 kg division for men and open division for women.

Karnataka minister Ramanath Rai, honorary president of the sports meet, said that necessary preparations have been completed. Speaking in the press conference on B C Road on Wednesday January 28, he said, “Kabaddi, volleyball, and athletic teams will be formed in the state under the department of forests in order to encourage sportspersons. “The process of identifying the sports persons has started. A proposal has been submitted to the DRP in this respect,” he said.

“The party has decided to include youth in the social sector and several sports activities are conducted in this regard. Sports camps are held in several places in the state,” he added.

Rai added that ministers Abhayachandra Jain, Vinay Kumar Sorake, U T Khader, MLA Vasanth Bangera, Shakuntala Shetty, J R Lobo, Moidin Bava, Ivan D’ Souza, and leaders of different sectors and film stars will participate in these.

Kabaddi organizer Baby Kunder said that 70 men’s teams and 18 women’s teams will participate in the tournaments. “Winners will be awarded Rs 50,000 as first prize, Rs 30,000 as second prize, Rs 20,000 as third prize, Rs 10,000as fourth prize, and a Kallige trophy. The participating teams should register their names by Thursday February 5. Late comers will not be entertained,” he said.

Honorary convener Chandra Prakash Shetty, B Padmashekar Jain, B M Abbas Ali, Mayilappa Salian, Prashanth Kulal, Pius Rodrigues, Baby Kunder, Diwaker Pambadabettu, Krishnappa Bangera, and Chandrashekar Karna were present in the news conference.