By Utkarsh Rathour

Bellary (Karnataka) [India], April 1 (ANI): Indian kabaddi star Jaideep Dahiya has praised the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) in Bellary for providing world-class facilities and training, calling it the best sports centre in India for Kabaddi players.

The Haryana Steelers star, who has been associated with the franchise for five years, added that both pre-season and off-season camps at the IIS have significantly enhanced his preparation.

Dahiya, who is a left-cover defender, made his Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) debut with the Haryana Steelers in Season 8 (2021).

Since then, he has been an integral part of the team, later leading the side as captain in subsequent seasons, including their championship-winning campaign in Season 11 (2024/2025) and Season 12 (2025).

'There is a lot of difference. The training here is completely different from the basic training in our village. The atmosphere here, the training, everything is designed to give a player a good platform. I don't think there is any better centre in India than this,' Jaideep Dahiya told ANI.

'Whether it's our pre-season camp or off-season, we come here. The diet, the training, all the facilities here are the best in India,' he added.

Jaideep also highlighted the IIS as a premier centre not only for strength and conditioning but also for rehabilitation of injured athletes.

'Strength and conditioning are definitely there. For instance, I have an injury myself, and I come here for rehab. Many other players like Neeraj Chopra, Bajrang Punia, and almost every athlete who gets injured come to the IIS at least once. So, besides strength and conditioning, it's also the best centre for rehab for injured players,' Dhaiya told ANI.

With the Asian Games being held later this year, Dhaiya has a clear target of winning a gold medal for India, 'We don't just want to participate in the Asian Games; we want to win a gold medal for our country. We are practising and strengthening ourselves mentally with that goal in mind. First, we need to make a place for ourselves in the Indian team, and then perform well to defeat other teams and bring home the gold medal.'

Earlier, the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), in collaboration with Mashal Sports, started a high-performance Strength and Conditioning Camp at the IIS.

The camp is scheduled from March 27 to April 2, where the country's leading men's and women's kabaddi probable athletes will be together for preparation for the Asian Games 2026.

This initiative reinforces Mashal Sports and AKFI's shared commitment to the holistic development and well-being of kabaddi athletes, while continuing to build a strong pipeline of talent for India ahead of major international competitions, including the Asian Games. (ANI)