The Manipur State Kabaddi Association (MSKA) flagged off its junior boys’ state team from Imphal Airport on October 29, sending a 12-player contingent to Bihar for the 52nd Junior National Kabaddi Championship. The boys’ competition is scheduled to take place at Patliputra Sports Complex in Patna from November 1 to 4, 2026, according to the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India’s calendar.
The travelling group includes players from clubs and units across Manipur, with Y Sadananda named as coach and Th Jotilal as manager. The team’s departure marks the final step before the state’s selected junior players enter the national competition.
Manipur squad and officials
The players named in the departure report are O Rishikanta, S Santosh and N Bikash of VETO; M Raish Khan of AMDASCAM; S Rahul of SLYO; Kh Wanglen of SAM; N Alvison of NAYA; L Bishochandra of ALUC; Kh Abdul Latif of ICDF; S Roshan of NYDA; H Sanathoi of YGC; and L Idison of YSC.
Y Sadananda and Th Jotilal will accompany the players as coach and manager respectively. The squad draws on 10 clubs or units identified in the report, giving the state representation from a range of local kabaddi organisations rather than a single club.
The departure report does not provide the players’ ages, playing positions, previous national championship records or the details of the selection committee. Those details have not been assumed here. The names and club affiliations are reproduced as reported by The Sangai Express.
National championship schedule in Patna
The 52nd Junior National Kabaddi Championship for boys is scheduled for November 1–4 at Patliputra Sports Complex in Patna. The Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India’s 2026–27 domestic calendar lists the boys’ junior national event at the Bihar venue, while the Bihar State Kabaddi Association’s championship schedule also identifies Patliputra Sports Complex as the host location.
There is a wording error in the original Sangai Express departure report: its headline identifies the travelling group as a kabaddi team, but the body text refers to a “Junior Boys National Football Championship”. The federation calendar and the Bihar State Kabaddi Association schedule both identify the event as the 52nd Junior National Kabaddi Championship for boys. This article follows those event records and treats the reference to football in the report as a typographical error.
The four-day tournament brings the selected state teams together in the junior boys’ category. The Manipur contingent will have the opportunity to test itself against teams from other parts of the country, although the available departure report does not list Manipur’s opponents, group allocation or opening match details.
Selection pathway began with a wider trial group
The journey to the national event followed a selection process reported earlier in the year. In August, The Sangai Express reported that MSKA had called up 48 players from various clubs and units for trials to prepare the state’s junior boys’ team. The selection trial was scheduled at ALUC playground in Khurai Angom Leikai.
The August report named athletes from several of the same local organisations represented in the travelling squad, including VETO, AMDASCAM, SLYO, SAM, NAYA, ALUC, ICDF, NYDA, YGC and YSC. The October departure report now provides the final group of players travelling to the national championship.
The earlier trial notice shows that the state team was assembled through a broader pool of club-level players. The reduction from the 48 players called up for trials to the 12 names in the departure report illustrates the selection stage, though the sources do not detail the criteria or the dates of the final selection announcement.
Manipur’s grassroots kabaddi network gets a national test
The squad’s club spread is a notable feature of the team announcement. VETO contributes three players, while the remaining names are drawn from nine other units. That distribution highlights the role of local clubs and associations in supplying athletes for the state’s junior programme.
For the players, the Patna championship is a national-level test after the state selection process. For Manipur kabaddi, the participation also places its club network and junior talent in a competition organised under the national federation’s calendar. The next confirmed milestone is the start of the tournament on November 1.
SportsLine will follow the team’s campaign as match results, fixtures and individual performances become available. The association’s departure announcement establishes the travelling squad and officials; results and further tournament details will be added when confirmed by the organisers or reliable reporting.
Frequently asked questions
When was the Manipur junior boys' kabaddi team flagged off?
The Manipur State Kabaddi Association flagged off the state team from Imphal Airport on October 29, 2026. The team is travelling to Bihar to compete in the 52nd Junior National Kabaddi Championship for boys, which is scheduled to begin on November 1.
Where and when will the 52nd Junior National Boys' Kabaddi Championship be held?
The championship is scheduled at Patliputra Sports Complex in Patna, Bihar, from November 1 to 4, 2026. The Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India’s 2026–27 calendar lists the boys’ junior national competition at the Bihar venue on those dates.
Who are the coach and manager of the Manipur team?
Y Sadananda has been named coach and Th Jotilal manager of the Manipur state contingent. The two officials were identified in The Sangai Express report covering the team’s departure from Imphal on October 29.
How many players are in Manipur's junior boys' kabaddi squad?
The departure report names 12 players in the Manipur squad. They represent clubs and units including VETO, AMDASCAM, SLYO, SAM, NAYA, ALUC, ICDF, NYDA, YGC and YSC. The report identifies the travelling group but does not provide player ages or positions.
Which Manipur players were selected from VETO?
The report lists O Rishikanta, S Santosh and N Bikash as players from VETO. They are part of the 12-member Manipur contingent travelling for the 52nd Junior National Boys’ Kabaddi Championship in Patna.