Akhada - A Breeding Ground Where India Has Produced Its Greatest Wrestling Legacies
Akhada is an Indian word for a place of practice with facilities for boarding, lodging and training. Far from the glam and world-class infrastructure, akhadas have been conventional breeding grounds for Indian wrestlers.
Wrestling is a very old sport, and has been at the forefront of India’s good showing at the world stage. It’s a sport that is very popular in states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Delhi.
It has a vast presence in rural beds, but it has struggled against the paucity of funds in the absence of any financial and other logistic support.
Irrespective of all the age-old problems of investment and facilities, akhadas have proven to be the nurturing base for the wrestlers. The same akhadas have produced wrestlers like Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Sakshi Malik and many others.
There achievements are testament to the effectiveness and impact that the akhadas have had. These Olympic medal winning wrestlers have one thing in common - they have all come through the ranks of akhadas.
Most of the akhadas in India are run by local villagers, who invest and look after them. The local wrestlers are groomed into winners - they are not only taught the art of wrestling, but molded into tough competitors.