As the 72nd Senior Nationals Men’s Kabaddi Championship gets underway at the Sama Indoor Complex in Vadodara from February 24 to 27, former India captain and current Puneri Paltan head coach Ajay Thakur has underlined the enduring significance of the tournament in shaping the future of Indian kabaddi.
For Thakur, who previously captained Himachal Pradesh in the Senior National Kabaddi Championship including at the 67th edition in 2020 the event continues to be the most important domestic platform for players aspiring to represent the country at the international level.
“The Senior Nationals is the biggest event at the national level. If you win here whether it’s gold, silver or bronze you feel immense pride. You are a national champion. It means you have conquered the whole of India, and that builds tremendous confidence,” Thakur said.
Organised under the aegis of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), the championship will see 29 teams and around 400 players competing over four days of intense action. The competition brings together a combination of experienced campaigners and emerging athletes, including several standout performers from Pro Kabaddi League Season 12.
Beyond the prestige of winning a national title, Thakur emphasised the role the tournament plays in the national selection pathway. According to him, consistent performances at the Senior Nationals often determine which players get the opportunity to progress further into national camps and eventually into the Indian team setup.
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“Players who perform here after working hard throughout the year give themselves a chance to represent India. If you want to play for the country in the future, participating and performing at the Senior Nationals is essential,” he added.
With a strong field featuring established domestic powerhouses, Thakur believes that teams such as Railways and Maharashtra will once again be among the contenders for the title. Services and Haryana, who have traditionally fielded competitive squads, are also expected to be in contention, while Chandigarh could emerge as a side to watch given the presence of promising players in their ranks this year.
On the individual front, Thakur pointed to several players who could make an impact during the course of the championship. He named Aditya Shinde, Pawan Sehrawat, Ashu Malik, Naveen Kumar and Sunil Kumar as athletes capable of delivering strong performances at the national stage.
While the tournament provides an opportunity for seasoned professionals to reaffirm their credentials, Thakur believes its greatest value lies in the exposure it offers to younger players stepping into high-level competition.
“For young players, this is a big opportunity. They get to watch senior players closely, understand how they compete at the highest level and learn from them. That exposure gives them motivation and confidence,” he explained.
The Senior Nationals have historically served as a platform where players transition from domestic recognition to national prominence, and Thakur’s perspective reflects that long-standing tradition. Having experienced the demands of top-level kabaddi both as a decorated international player and as a coach most recently guiding Puneri Paltan to the Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 final he remains closely attuned to the role domestic tournaments play in sustaining the sport’s competitive depth.
As the 72nd edition unfolds in Vadodara, the championship once again presents an opportunity for players from across the country to test themselves against elite opposition, gain valuable match experience and stake a claim for higher honours in the future.
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With national selection prospects and domestic pride on the line, the Senior Nationals continue to stand as Indian kabaddi’s ultimate proving ground a competition where reputations are forged and the next generation of international players begins its journey toward the Indian jersey.
