New Delhi [India], March 11 (ANI): Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday felicitated the Indian women's team following their triumph in the 6th Asian Women's Kabaddi Championship.

Participating in the 6th Asian Women's Kabaddi Championship, held from March 6 to 8, 2025, in Tehran, the Indian Women's Kabaddi team successfully defended their title, beating hosts Iran 32-25 on Saturday.

The Kabaddi tournament returned after an 8-year hiatus, with the previous edition held in 2017 in Iran, where India defeated South Korea to win the trophy.

Fresh off this victory, the team returned on Tuesday and were felicitated by Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India. In lieu of securing the trophy for the fifth time, the Minister announced a cash reward of Rs 67,50,000 to the team.

Speaking after the felicitation, Mandaviya said, as quoted from a press release by SAI, 'We will take all efforts to support our female athletes. In line with the men's league, we will be starting a women's kabaddi league to give women more opportunities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants our girls to get equal opportunities in the development of Viksit Bharat.'

He further added, 'At the Chintan Shivir in Hyderabad, we took a decision to get the corporate sector to adopt one sport and provide the best financial support as well as open academies where athletes get good coaches and give good coaching. We from government will do everything to ensure this even for indigenous sports including kabaddi.'

Clubbed with Thailand, Bangladesh and Malaysia in Group A, India comfortably advanced to the semifinal, defeating Bangladesh 64-23, Thailand 76-21, and Malaysia 73-19 to top their pool with three wins.

In their semi-final clash, the team breezed past neighbourhood rivals Nepal with a 56-18 scoreline, setting up an exciting final against hosts Iran. In what was their most challenging game of the tournament, Team India prevailed with the score reading 32-25. Notably, South Korea remains the only other nation to have won this tournament, claiming victory on home soil in 2016.

This accomplishment would not be possible without the leadership of raider and skipper Sonali Shingate, who expressed gratitude for the support that the team has received from the Ministry of Sports & Youth Affairs.

'This victory is for every member of our team, who played magnificently to ensure that we returned as champions. The support from the Ministry of Sports & Youth Affairs has been instrumental in our preparation. Our camp held at SAI Sonepat was crucial to our success. We are also very grateful for the timely support from the Supreme Court, for ensuring that India could allowing our team to prepare for this championship. We are glad we could prove successful with the faith put in us. Now, we are looking forward to the Women's Kabaddi World Cup in Bihar this June,' an elated Shingate stated.

'This victory reinforces India's dominance in kabaddi and shows the growing strength of our women athletes on the international stage. The AKFI is proud of this team's achievements and will continue supporting their participation in forthcoming multi-nation tournaments conducted by the International Kabaddi Federation and the Asian Kabaddi Federation,' said Jitendra Pran Singh Thakur, the Secretary-elect of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India.

He emphasised that the Indian team's triumph at the 2025 Asian Women Kabaddi Championships, Tehran, was an impressive dress rehearsal for the side that also won gold in the 2023 Asian Games, held in Hangzhou, China, as they prepare for the much-awaited Women's Kabaddi World Cup, to be held in Bihar in June later in 2025.

In this regard, the President of the International Kabaddi Federation, Vinod Tiwary, who is also the Deputy Director General of the Olympic Council of Asia and a Member of the OCA Executive Board, has also conveyed congratulations to the Indian winning team.

'The IKF-affiliated countries readily acknowledge the great role that India plays as the torch-bearer for kabaddi. IKF is very grateful to the Indian sports authorities and the Indian Supreme Court for making the Indian women participate in the 2025 Asian Women Kabaddi Championships in Tehran,' said Tiwary. (ANI)