Nagpur: Vidarbha's major pilgrimage site Koradi, known for the historic 350-year-old Shri Mahalakshmi Jagdamba temple dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, is set to host a groundbreaking sporting event. For the first time, the temple town will witness the thrill of Maharashtra's traditional sport as top kabaddi players compete in the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Cup Senior State-Level tournament, starting Thursday.
Tournament Details
The five-day tournament, organized annually by the Maharashtra Government for men and women, will be held at Sevanand Vidyalaya, Koradi. Aimed at inspiring kabaddi players across the state and providing them an opportunity to compete at the state level, the event is jointly organized by the Deputy Director's Office, Sports and Youth Services, Nagpur Division, the Amateur Kabaddi Association of Vidarbha, and the Nagpur Rural Kabaddi Association.
Inauguration and Ceremonies
The tournament will be inaugurated by Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister and Sports Minister Sunetra Pawar at 6:30 PM on Thursday. The inaugural ceremony will feature a laser and firecracker show, along with performances by international yoga players. State Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Guardian Minister of Bhandara Pankaj Bhoyar, MLA Ashish Jaiswal, and other dignitaries will also be present on the dais.
For smooth conduct, four international-standard mat courts have been prepared. A total of 448 players and officials from across Maharashtra will participate in the Senior State tournament, which is being held in Vidarbha for the first time in 19 years. The total prize money is 19.9 lakh rupees.
Participating Teams
In addition to 12 men's and women's teams from across Maharashtra, four Vidarbha teams in each category—including hosts Nagpur, Amravati, Bhandara, and Washim—will compete for honors. The teams have been divided into four groups:
- Men's Section: Nagpur team is placed in Group D with Pune, Sangli, and Nashik.
- Women's Section: Nagpur District team will play league matches against Mumbai Sub-Urban, Palghar, and Parbhani in Group A. The Nagpur Rural women's team is in Group D alongside Ratnagiri, Thane, and Nanded.
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the quarterfinals.
Nagpur Teams and Players
Nagpur Rural (Women): Preeti Binzade, Shruti Moreshia, Samiksha Bagde, Tanushree Bhaskar, Sunidhi Shende, Aarti Vaidya, Rajeshwari Jivatode, Rakhi Dhurve, Minakshi Moreshia, Prachi Thakare, Chandani Pandhare, Dimpal Bharde, Nandini Wakalkar, Akshara Kantode. Coach: Praveen Khichar; Manager: Sakshi Zhalke.
Nagpur District (Men): Vijay Shahu, Abhishek Nimbalkar, Harsh Deshpande, Yogesh Kumre, Aditya Sonawane, Alpesh Kawale, Parth Dadwe, Lokesh Sambe, Sudhanshu Chaudhary, Shrikant Paswan, Prathamesh Bondre, Aditya Chinkudkar, Kanak Wadme, Atul Gidhane. Coach: Nitin Dhawale; Manager: Praveen Khichar.
Nagpur District (Women): Kshitija Sakharkar, Prajakta Sontakke, Sakshi Trivedi, Radhika Jadhav, Mangala Dhabale, Punam Sahu, Dimpal P, Rajlakshmi Uike, Harshika Hiranwar, Vaidehi Girdhar, Prachi Baghel, Ankita Chaudhary, Saloni Pohare, Kajal Mondhe. Coach: Padma Uike; Manager: Sunita Raut.
