Villagers participate in a kabaddi match organised by the Jajpur Kabaddi Association. Telegraph picture

Jajpur, Dec. 23: A little village in Jajpur district has been producing some of the best talents in the field of kabaddi at both the state and national levels.

After hosting tournaments at the state and national levels, the villagers of Khanditar now aim to host an international kabaddi tournament.

According to an estimate, Khanditar village has produced 300 kabaddi players — both men and women — at the state and national levels.

The village has been the nursery of kabbadi players for the past several years. It has produced players of national repute. Some enterprising villagers have been spotting rural sports talent, training them and then fielding them for state- and national-level kabaddi championships.

“We have been spotting talent and training them for at least three years,” said Rabindra Kumar Prusty, general secretary of the Jajpur Kabaddi Association (JKA).

The association provides free accommodation to all trainees during the training programme. “We provide them accommodation on our premises. Everything, from training to accommodation, is provided free of cost,” said Prusty. One batch normally consists of 40 boys and girls.

The association has engaged at least 10 coaches to train the budding kabaddi players. They are given three years’ rigorous training including physical fitness training.

“It is not an easy job to groom a youngster into a good player. It takes almost three to four years to turn them into good players who can take part in at least state-level kabaddi competitions,” said Nigamananda Mohanty, a coach.

The players are taught the rules and regulations of the game besides being trained in various skills.

As many as 20 coaches, certified and affiliated to the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India, have been imparting training to both men and women kabaddi players.

“I was studying in high school. The JKA noticed my talent and turned me into national-level kabaddi player. I am indebted to them,” said Aruna Dash of Badakainchi village.

“Six decades ago, the villagers used to organise kabaddi matches on the eve of the Rajo festival every year. Later, some of them formed the Jajpur Kabaddi Association and began to organise kabaddi tournaments in which local kabaddi teams participated,” said Jagadananda Dash, a former physical education teacher of Ravenshaw College who was one of the founder members of the association.