London: The quintessential Indian game of kabaddi is gaining popularity in Britain, thanks to growing interest within the south Asian community as well as some police forces.
Kabaddi was brought to Britain by immigrants from south Asia, with the first kabaddi clubs being formed in 1969 in Birmingham, Blackburn and Bradford.
It gained attention of mainstream British audiences in the early 1990s through a weekly Channel 4 show.
The game has now spread to Lancashire, where a local organisation, Youth Action at Hyndburn, has been given a grant of 1000 pounds to popularise the game in schools in central Accrington.
The kabaddi project will run in the schools from September to December.
Lucy Hamlin, of Youth Action and Hyndburn, said, "We are extremely pleased to have been successful in this bid. We are trying to offer alternative sports rather than the usual football."
Local regeneration officer Mohammed Abid, said: "I am pleased on behalf of the board to support this request towards this project. It is a worthwhile project that is much needed within the community."
The National Kabaddi Association in Britain was formed in 1992. The first World Indoor Kabaddi Tournament held at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham in 1993, when six teams competed, four from India and two from Pakistan, with a demonstration match by a selection of UK players.