2nd Women’s Kabaddi World Cup 2025:  History, Indian Squad, and Player Profiles

The Indian women’s kabaddi team is ready to defend its title at the 2nd Women’s Kabaddi World Cup 2025, which will be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh from November 17 to 24, 2025. India has announced its 14-member squad to compete in this major tournament. The team includes some of the best kabaddi players from India, led by captain Ritu Negi.

This tournament is very important for Indian kabaddi, as the country has won the first Women’s Kabaddi World Cup and wants to stay on top. The squad has a good mix of experienced players and new talent. Each player brings something special to the team.

History of Women’s Kabaddi World Cup

The Women’s Kabaddi World Cup began in 2012, which was a big moment for women’s kabaddi around the world. The first Women’s Kabaddi World Cup was held in Patna, Bihar, India, at the Patliputra Sports Complex. This tournament was organized by the Government of Bihar and the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India.

In the first Women’s Kabaddi World Cup, a total of 16 teams from different countries took part. These teams were divided into four groups of four teams each. India was the host nation and also the defending champion of the sport. The tournament format included group matches, then a knockout stage with quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final.

India’s performance in the first Women’s Kabaddi World Cup was very strong. The Indian team won all its group matches and moved forward to the knockout stage. In the quarterfinals and semifinals, India continued to show great kabaddi skills and teamwork. Finally, in the final match on March 4, 2012, India faced Iran. India won the match with a score of 25-19 against Iran.

This victory was very important for Indian women’s kabaddi. It showed that Indian women were the best kabaddi players in the world. The first World Cup gave women’s kabaddi more respect and attention. After this success, women’s kabaddi started to grow in countries around the world.

Other teams also had good performances in that first tournament. Japan and Thailand both made it to the semifinals. These countries showed that Asian kabaddi was becoming very strong. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and other countries from Asia were all growing their women’s kabaddi teams.

Since the first Women’s Kabaddi World Cup in 2012, the sport has continued to develop. Many countries have worked to improve their women’s kabaddi teams. The second Women’s Kabaddi World Cup is now coming 13 years later. This time, it will be held outside India for the first time, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This shows how much women’s kabaddi has grown and how many countries want to host the tournament.

The venue was originally planned to be in India at Rajgir, Bihar, then it was moved to Hyderabad. Finally, it was decided to hold the tournament in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This change shows that the International Kabaddi Federation wants to spread women’s kabaddi to different countries.

Indian Women’s Kabaddi Team Squad for 2nd World Cup 2025

Team Leadership

Head Coach: Ms. Tejaswini Bai

Kabaddi Coach: Ms. Kavita Selvara

Assistant Coach: Ms. Priyanka

The coaching staff brings many years of experience in women’s kabaddi. They will guide the team through the tournament and help the players do their best.

Player Profiles

1. Anu

Anu is a raider who plays for the Indian team. She is included in the squad for the 2nd Women’s Kabaddi World Cup 2025. Anu comes from Uttar Pradesh and is known for her raiding abilities. She has shown good skills in the camps and has been selected to represent India in this important tournament.

2. Bhavna Devi

Bhavna Devi was born on January 16, 1999, in Baila, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. She comes from a farming family and has a father named Prem Singh and a mother named Dassi. Bhavna has three elder sisters and one elder brother, but none of them play kabaddi professionally.

Bhavna started playing kabaddi at the age of 14. She is a Right Cover Defender, which means she plays in the defense position on the right side. She is known for her very good blocking skills. Bhavna has trained under coaches named Dayaram Chaudharyi, Satvir Kaur, and Pankaj Sharma at the SAI Hostel in Dharamshala.

Currently, Bhavna is pursuing her Master’s degree in History while managing her kabaddi career. She has represented her school, college, district, and state in kabaddi. One of her biggest achievements was when her team won first place at the National Games held in Goa in 2023.

Bhavna’s favorite kabaddi move is the Bonus. Apart from kabaddi, she also plays volleyball to stay fit. Her main goal is to play for Team India and to win a gold medal at the Asian Games.

3. Champa Thakur

Champa Thakur was born on November 4, 2004, in Bagheigarh, Chamba, Himachal Pradesh. Her father, Sri Ramesh Kumar, is a wrestling coach, and her mother, Narodevi, is a tailoring teacher. This means Champa comes from a sports-loving family where physical activity is valued.

Champa started playing kabaddi in 2015 when she was very young. At first, she tried both wrestling and kabaddi, but she chose kabaddi. She is a Left Corner Defender, which is an important position in defense. She is very good at blocking opponents.

Champa has been coached by many skilled teachers including her father, Kuldeep Rajput, Thakur Das Verma, Vipin Rajput, Meher Singh Verma, and Ranjana. Currently, at SAI Dharamshala, coaches Pankaj Kumar and Satvir Kaur guide her training.

Champa’s favorite player is Pushpa Rana, her teammate. She looks up to Pushpa for her hard work and her ability to both raid and defend well. Champa is studying for her college degree in BA. She has also won a gold medal at the Junior National Kabaddi Championship in Hyderabad in 2024 with her school SAI team.

4. Dhanalakshmi

Dhanalakshmi plays as an all-rounder for the Indian team. She comes from Karnataka and is known for her skills in both raiding and defending. Dhanalakshmi has worked hard to make it to the national team and will now compete in the World Cup.

5. Mini

Mini Narwal is a professional kabaddi player who plays for Indian Railways. Her jersey number is 06. She comes from Haryana and is known for her raiding skills on the kabaddi mat. Mini is a professional kabaddi player and represents the Indian Railways team in official competitions.

6. Pooja

Pooja is a kabaddi player who has made it to the national team. She plays as a raider for the Indian team in various tournaments.

7. Pooja Narwal

Pooja Narwal was born on March 15, 2000, in the village of Rindhana, District Sonipat, Haryana. She is 24 years old as of 2024. Her father’s name is Shriram, who works as a farmer, and her mother manages the house. Pooja has one brother named Sahil Narwal.

Pooja started playing kabaddi when she was 16 years old. She trained hard and participated in many state, national, and international level kabaddi championships. In 2021, Pooja Narwal started playing kabaddi for the Indian Railways team.

In 2022, Pooja was part of the Indian women’s kabaddi team that won a gold medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. The Indian team defeated Chinese Taipei in the final match. This was a big achievement for her.

Pooja is married to Sandeep Dhull, who is also a kabaddi player. They got married on November 20, 2023. Pooja is 5 feet 7 inches tall and is known as a raider who wears jersey number 10.

In her free time, Pooja likes to travel to new places, swim, and dance. She is also a fitness lover and goes to the gym regularly to stay healthy and strong.

8. Pushpa Rana (Vice-Captain)

Pushpa Rana was born on January 11, 1998, in Milah, Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh. Her father, Jaipal, works as a teacher, and her mother is named Srimathi Champadevi. Pushpa has a brother named Sanjeev, who also played kabaddi.

Pushpa’s kabaddi journey began in 2014. She got the idea to play kabaddi from hearing stories about international players Priyanka Negi and Ritu Negi. Both her father and brother taught her the basics of kabaddi when she was young.

Pushpa is a Right Raider, which means she attacks from the right side. She is very good at getting Bonus points and using the Handtouch skill. She has trained under many coaches including her father Jaipal, Indrathakur, Gyarsingh Negi, Meher Singh Burma, Pankaj Sharma, and Satvir Kaur at SAI Dharamshala.

While playing kabaddi, Pushpa is also studying for a degree in History and wants to get a Master’s degree later. She has won many medals at the school, college, district, state, and national levels. One of her big achievements was playing in the Asian Games in 2023, where she helped win a gold medal in a very close match against Chinese Taipei.

Apart from kabaddi, Pushpa plays volleyball, handball, and football for fun and to stay fit. Her big dream is to win the Arjuna Award, which is given to the best sports players in India. Pushpa is chosen as the Vice-Captain for the 2nd Women’s Kabaddi World Cup 2025.

9. Ritu (Defender)

Ritu is a right-corner defender who plays for the Indian Railways team. She is known for her good defending skills and has been part of the national team training camps.

10. Ritu (Another Player)

Another player named Ritu has also been selected for the team. She brings her own set of defensive skills to the squad.

11. Ritu Negi (Captain)

Ritu Negi was born on May 30, 1992, in the village of Sharog in the Shillai area of the Sirmaur district in Himachal Pradesh. Her village is in a very remote area where there are limited bus facilities and people have to walk for hours to get basic things.

Ritu started her education in the remote village of Sharog. During her 10th grade, she was selected for the State Hostel in Bilaspur. She started playing kabaddi at school when she saw other senior girls playing the sport during a school event. She became interested and started training.

After finishing her primary education, Ritu joined the Sports Authority of India in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. She trained there for nine years and participated in both Junior and Senior National Kabaddi Tournaments. At SAI Bilaspur, she won two gold medals in the Junior Nationals and five bronze medals in the senior nationals for Himachal Pradesh.

In 2011, Ritu was made the captain of the Indian Junior women’s kabaddi team. That year, the team won the gold medal in the Junior Asian Championship held in Malaysia. This was a great achievement for young Ritu.

After some time, Ritu was spotted by senior coaches during an A-Grade Kabaddi tournament. She impressed them with her skills and was selected to play for the South Central Railway women’s kabaddi team. She also got a job with the Indian Railways.

Ritu joined the Indian Railways’ South Central department in 2014. She had great performances in her first games and was chosen for the South Central Railway Camp. Later, she was selected for the Senior Nationals Indian Railway Women’s Kabaddi Team.

In 2018, Ritu was chosen for the Asian Games camp. She made it to the final 12 of the Indian team. However, in 2017, she did not make it to the final 12 for the Asian Championship even though she was picked for the camp.

The big moment came in 2022 when Ritu was made the captain of the Indian women’s kabaddi team. She led the team to victory at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. The Indian team defeated Chinese Taipei in the final on October 7, 2023.

For her excellent performance at the Asian Games, the Haryana government gave Ritu a cash prize of Rs. 3 Crores. The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu also honored her and gave her a cash award of Rs. 15 lakhs.

In January 2024, Ritu was honored with the Arjuna Award by the President of India. This is one of the highest sports honors in the country. Ritu is married to Rohit Gulia, who is also a professional kabaddi player from Haryana. She got married on April 22, 2022, but only took four days off because the Indian team was in a training camp.

12. Sakshi Sharma

Sakshi Sharma comes from Hamirpur and is a defender. She leads her state kabaddi team and is known for her good blocking and defending skills. Sakshi has been playing kabaddi since childhood and has refined her game through many district and state level tournaments. Her hard work and discipline have helped her get into the national team.

13. Sanju Devi

Sanju Devi is a raider from Chhattisgarh and comes from the Korba area. She made it to the Indian women’s kabaddi team through her excellent performances in national tournaments. Sanju was selected for the Indian team camp based on her good play in the National Championship. Her selection shows that women’s kabaddi talent is growing in all parts of India, not just the traditional regions.

Sanju trains at the Women’s Residential Kabaddi Academy in Bilaspur under coach Dil Kumar Rathod. She is the first woman kabaddi player from Chhattisgarh to be selected for the Indian national team for the World Cup. This is a big achievement not just for her but for the entire state.

14. Sonali Shingate (Asian Championship Captain)

Sonali Vishnu Shingate was born on May 27, 1995, in Mumbai, Maharashtra. She comes from a middle-class family where she learned the value of hard work and dedication. She started playing kabaddi after finishing her high school education.

Sonali joined the Shiv Shakti Mahila Sangha club in Mumbai and trained under coach Rajesh Padave. She attended Maharshi Dayanand College. At the club and college, she played for the school’s kabaddi team and developed her skills.

Sonali started her national career by playing for Maharashtra at the 2014 Junior Nationals. Even though her team did not do well in 2014, her performances were so good that she was made the captain of the team for the next Junior Nationals in 2015. Because of her good play at the Junior Nationals, Sonali got a job with the Indian Railways and a position on their women’s kabaddi team.

Her international career began in 2018 when she played for India at the Asian Games. The Indian team won the silver medal. In 2019, she competed in the South Asian Games and won gold for India.

Sonali is known as a bonus expert in the Indian team. She is very good at taking bonus points, which is a special scoring move in kabaddi. She is 5 feet 7 inches tall and plays as a raider. In 2020, the Government of Maharashtra gave her the Shiv Chhatrapati Award for her great work in kabaddi.

Sonali was part of the Indian team that won the gold medal at the Asian Women’s Kabaddi Championship 2025 held in Tehran, Iran. The team beat Iran 32-25 in the final. She was one of the captains in that team, which shows her importance in Indian women’s kabaddi.

The Tournament

The 2nd Women’s Kabaddi World Cup 2025 will have 12 teams from around the world. These teams will compete in Dhaka, Bangladesh from November 17 to 24, 2025. India is the defending champion from the first World Cup in 2012.

Iran, who was the runner-up in the first World Cup, will also be competing and will want to improve their position. Other strong teams like Japan, Thailand, and many other countries will also take part.

The tournament will have matches where each team plays against other teams. The best teams will move forward to the knockout stage, where teams play single matches to eliminate opponents. The final will decide who is the women’s kabaddi world champion.

The Indian team is ready to defend its title. With experienced players like Ritu Negi as captain, Pushpa Rana as vice-captain, and players like Pooja Narwal, Bhavna Devi, Champa Thakur, and others, India has a very strong team. The coaching staff led by Tejaswini Bai will help guide the team to success.

The 2nd Women’s Kabaddi World Cup is an important tournament for the sport of women’s kabaddi around the world. India has a very good squad ready to defend its championship title. The team has a mix of experienced players and new talent that brings fresh energy.

Each player in the squad has worked hard to make it to this level. Their dedication and passion for kabaddi have brought them to represent their country. The tournament in Dhaka will show the growing strength of women’s kabaddi and how many countries are now playing the sport at a high level.

The Indian women’s kabaddi team will aim to play well, win all its matches, and bring home another World Cup title. The support of fans, coaches, and the government will help the players do their best. The 2nd Women’s Kabaddi World Cup will be a great event for women’s sports in Asia and around the world.