In the beach at Kuzhupilly, among the throng of visitors, a few girls are busy warming up. They jog and stretch with discipline. Then, as they start stirring up the sand, one can hear the repeating chant — kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi….

A practice session for beach kabaddi is underway here. Their coach, 45-year-old Omar Shereef, a veteran player who was part of the 2008 Asian Beach Games gold-winning Indian team, watches on, correcting mistakes and suggesting strategies.

“The girls’ team is preparing for the upcoming State Beach Kabaddi Championship,” he says. Notably, teams coached by Shereef have been winning the district-level games for the past few years. This year, the team’s aim is gold.

“The game is intense. They need strength, speed, strategy, and a bit of luck. Balancing both speed and dexterity in the sand is a bit difficult, after all,” says Shereef, an India Post official who runs Paravur Kabaddi Academy.

Kabaddi is gaining popularity compared to pre-pandemic times, he explains. “With Pro Kabaddi kicking up a storm, and the nature of the game itself changing, it’s more visible than when I started out,” he says.

“Now indoor Kabaddi is played with shoes on a special mat. Much more interesting to watch for an audience.”