How an ancient Indian sport builds bridges across cultures in Hong Kong

Though its professional league has a huge following in India and surrounding nations, kabaddi is relatively unknown outside the region. Photo: AFP

Overlooked by highrises on the outskirts of Hong Kong, a group of students practise body-slam tackles and vicious ankle-wrenches at weekly training for an unlikely sport: the ancient Indian game of kabaddi.

Though its professional league has a huge following in India and surrounding nations, kabaddi – a highly physical game where the object is to tag the rival team, often by brute force – is relatively unknown outside the region.