Pro Kabaddi League wins ‘Best Sports League of the Year’ at CII Sports Business Awards 2024

The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) was awarded the title of ‘Best Sports League of the Year’ at the CII Sports Business Awards 2024 held in New Delhi.

Ayon Sengupta, Editor of Sportstar, (right) presents the ‘Best Sports League of the Year’ award to Anupam Goswami, League Commissioner of the Pro Kabaddi League (left) at the CII Sports Business Awards 2024. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) was awarded the title of ‘Best Sports League of the Year’ at the CII Sports Business Awards 2024 held in New Delhi.

The award ceremony took place during the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Score Card 2024 event on October 18, coinciding with the launch of the league’s 11th edition.

This recognition highlights the league’s significant impact on the Indian sports landscape and its vital role in promoting kabaddi. Anupam Goswami, League Commissioner of the Pro Kabaddi League, expressed his enthusiasm, stating,  “We are thrilled to receive this recognition from CII. This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in making Pro Kabaddi League a resounding success since its inception in 2014. As we look to the future, we are committed to taking PKL to even greater heights, further popularizing kabaddi and contributing to India’s vision of becoming a global sporting powerhouse.”

In addition, defending champion Puneri Paltan was honoured with the ‘Sports Franchise of the Year’ award. The franchise’s grassroots initiative, Yuva Paltan, has been instrumental in developing young kabaddi stars like Aslam Inamdar and Mohit Goyat, who have become key players for the team and represented India on the international stage.

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Looking ahead, Mashal Sports, the organizers of PKL, aim to leverage this recognition to expand the league’s reach, enhance fan engagement both on the ground and in the digital landscape, and contribute to the development of kabaddi at the grassroots level.

CII Sports Business Awards also felicitated AB Sportzworkz Pvt Ltd, Sareen Sports and Jio Institute with Best Sports Broadcaster, Best Sports Brand of the Year and Sports Management Institute awards, respectively.

Additionally, Parth Jindal (Director, JSW Sports) and Vita Dani (Chairperson, Dani Sports Foundation) received recognition as the Best Sports Business Leaders of the Year—Male and Female, respectively. Haryana’s sports department was honoured as the Best State Promoting Sports Development, while JSW Sports was awarded the Best Organization Promoting Sports. Narendra Modi Stadium received the award for Best Sports Facility, and Hero MotoCorp and the Women’s Premier League (WPL) were recognized as the Best Organization Promoting Para-Sports and Best Emerging Sports League of the Year, respectively.