Kickboxing in Madhya Pradesh

Verified profileAchievements, tournaments, coaches and scholarships on this page are compiled from federation and government sources (Wikipedia — Indian Association of Kickboxing Organisations, India at the 2009 Asian Martial Arts Games, Kickboxing at the 2007/2009 Asian Indoor Games, WAKO India (wakoindia.org), Kickboxing Federation of India (kickboxingfederationofindia.com), The Sentinel — Shraddha Rangarh 2024 Asian Championship coverage).

Overview

Governing body: WAKO India
Origin: 1960s
Olympic discipline: No
Category: Combat
Total players listed: …

Kickboxing is one of India's most-followed disciplines. The WAKO India oversees national federation activity, talent identification and Olympic qualification pathways. Major support flows in through TOPS and Khelo India for athletes who clear federation benchmarks.

Kickboxing is not currently on the Olympic programme, but it sits firmly inside India's broader sporting ecosystem. The discipline receives support through the Khelo India movement, multi-sport events such as the National Games and Asian Games trials wherever the sport is contested, and dedicated league or championship structures run by the federation. Sponsorship, broadcast deals and private academies often fill the gap that direct government funding leaves, and several state governments offer cash awards, government jobs and land grants to medallists at the National Games and recognised world championships.

Combat sport pathways in India are unusually deep because of the country's traditional akhara and dojo culture sitting alongside the modern federation structure. The WAKO India runs sub-junior, junior, youth and senior nationals every year, and weight-category selection trials decide who represents India at continental and world events. Sports science, weight management and injury rehabilitation have become major focus areas since multiple Indian combat athletes have reached the Olympic and World Championship podium. SAI's combat-sport centres at Patiala, Lucknow, Bhopal, Sonepat and the IIS in Vijayanagar form the backbone of the elite training network.

At the grassroots, the route into Kickboxing typically starts at school under the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), at the inter-university level under the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), or through a private academy registered with the state association. The Khelo India Youth Games and Khelo India University Games are the largest single discovery platforms — athletes who reach the podium at these events become eligible for the Khelo India Talent Development scheme, which funds boarding, coaching, kit, education and a monthly stipend at accredited centres. State sports awards and central government jobs under the sports quota remain a powerful incentive for athletes from smaller towns.

Kickboxing originated in 1960s, and in India it has developed a distinct character shaped by the country's geography, demographics and sporting culture. Whether you want to compete, coach, sponsor, write about or simply follow Kickboxing, the practical starting point is the same: connect with your state association under the WAKO India, identify the nearest SAI centre or accredited academy, and track the Khelo India and federation calendars for the events that decide selection at every level. Kickboxing is played and developed across India under the WAKO India, with grassroots programmes, state associations and national-level competition pathways.

History

How kickboxing evolved globally and took root in India.

Kickboxing traces its modern origins to 1960s. Codified rules, standard equipment and international competition took shape as the sport spread beyond its birthplace, and WAKO India is the body that carried it into organised Indian competition.

In India, kickboxing grew through princely-state patronage, defence-service teams, universities and state associations. Post-independence, the discipline was formalised under WAKO India, national championships were instituted, and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) later brought it into the centralised high-performance system with dedicated centres, coaching cadres and sports-science support.

Kickboxing sits outside the Olympic programme but is firmly part of India's Asian Games, Commonwealth and National Games map, with state governments backing medallists through cash awards, jobs and land grants.

Indian Players

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Rules

Kickboxing is contested in a ring or on a matted area across weight categories, with rounds of two to three minutes. WAKO recognises several distinct disciplines: point-fighting and light-contact, where scoring rewards controlled, accurate technique and heavy power is penalised; kick-light and full-contact, fought continuously with above-the-belt punches and kicks; low-kick, which adds kicks to the thigh; and K-1 style, which additionally permits knee strikes and limited clinch work. Full-contact and low-kick bouts also carry a minimum-kick requirement per round, so a fighter cannot simply box. Judges score strikes, ring control and technique, with a bout ending on points, knockout, technical knockout or disqualification. Elbows, strikes to the back of the head, and throws or grappling are fouls across all formats.

Authoritative rulebook: WAKO India. Age-group and school-level variations are published by SGFI and the state associations each season.

Positions

Key roles, events or positions inside a kickboxing squad or competition.

Fighter / competitor
Contests bouts inside the ring, mat or cage in a set weight category.
Corner / second
Coach in the corner during the bout — allowed to instruct between rounds.
Referee & judges
Officiate the bout, score rounds and enforce safety rules.
Cutman / medical
Manages cuts, swelling and immediate medical needs between rounds.

Equipment

Standard kit and infrastructure required to train and compete in kickboxing at a federation-recognised event.

Boxing gloves (10oz-12oz depending on category) and hand wraps
Foot protectors and shin guards for point-fighting and light-contact formats
Mouthguard, groin guard and chest protector for women's categories
Head guard for semi-contact, junior and light-contact divisions
Approved uniform — long trousers for full-contact/low-kick, shorts for K-1 style
Ring or 8m x 8m matted competition area with judges' scoring equipment

Governing body

National federation

WAKO India

WAKO India is the recognised national body for Kickboxing in India. It sets the domestic calendar, selection norms, coaching curriculum and anti-doping compliance, and is affiliated to the international federation for kickboxing. State associations under WAKO India run age-group competition and feed the national talent pipeline.

Origin: 1960s
Olympic: No
Category: Combat

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Major Indian Events

Domestic championships, Khelo India events, National Games and franchise leagues that shape the kickboxing calendar in India.

National Kickboxing Championships
Kickboxing in India is organized under multiple bodies with real, if overlapping, activity: WAKO India Kickboxing Federation (formerly the Indian Association of Kickboxing Organisations, formed 1993, headquartered in Odisha) was explicitly recognized by MYAS as the National Sports Federation on 2 July 2021 and runs the WAKO India Seniors and Masters National Championships (2025 edition saw Manipur top the medal table with 7 gold). A separately-operating Kickboxing Federation of India (KFI) has run its own numbered Senior/Junior/Sub-Junior Nationals since the 2000s — the same kind of multi-body overlap seen in several other Indian combat sports.

International Events

Continental and world-level competitions where India competes in kickboxing.

Asian Kickboxing Championship
Shraddha Rangarh became the first Indian to win multiple medals at this event (two gold, two silver) in 2024, defeating rivals from Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.
World Kickboxing Federation (WKF) events
KFI reports India has won 6 gold, 13 silver and 8 bronze medals across various WKF international events. At one World Championship in Italy, Tajamul Islam won a gold medal at age 8, becoming a widely-cited role model for junior kickboxers in India.
Asian Martial Arts Games
Laxmi Tyagi won silver in the women's 52kg low-kick division in 2009.

Leagues

No dedicated professional league is currently catalogued for kickboxing. The national championship under WAKO India remains the top domestic competition.

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International Players

Globally recognised kickboxing athletes to know outside India.

Mikaela Mayer (USA) / Naoya Inoue (Japan)
World-title boxers headlining the current pro scene.
Islam Makhachev (Russia)
UFC lightweight champion.
Zaur Uguev (Russia)
Two-time Olympic and multiple-time World wrestling champion.
Kim Yu-Jin (South Korea)
Olympic taekwondo gold medallist.
Uta Abe (Japan)
Olympic and World judo champion.

Records

Where to find India's official kickboxing record book.

Olympic medalsN/A
Kickboxing is not on the Olympic programme, so India records this discipline through Asian Games, Commonwealth, World and Continental championships instead.
Asian Games medalsTracked
India's Asian Games results in kickboxing are compiled by the Indian Olympic Association and the WAKO India.
Commonwealth medalsTracked
Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Championship medals in kickboxing are maintained by the WAKO India.
World Championship medalsTracked
Senior, junior and youth World Championship medal records are held by the international federation for kickboxing and mirrored by WAKO India.
National record holdersFederation register
WAKO India publishes the current senior, junior and sub-junior national records and updates them after every ratified event.

Career Options

Ways to build a career in kickboxing — on the field, on the sidelines and behind the scenes.

The sport has real regional strength in Northeast India — Manipur, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh consistently feature among top medal-winning states at National Championships
Playing pathway through state associations affiliated to WAKO India or KFI feeding national and international selection
Coaching and refereeing certification through WAKO India, which also runs regular training camps and referee seminars

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Related academies

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Government Schemes

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Central and state schemes that fund training, stipends and awards for kickboxing athletes and academies.

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FAQs

Common questions about kickboxing in India.

Who governs Kickboxing in India?▾

WAKO India is the recognised national federation for Kickboxing in India. State associations under WAKO India run age-group and state-level competition and feed the national talent pipeline.

Is Kickboxing an Olympic sport?▾

Kickboxing is not currently on the Olympic programme, but India competes at Asian Games, Commonwealth Games (where recognised), World Championships and other continental events sanctioned by WAKO India.

How do I start playing Kickboxing in India?▾

Join a school team under SGFI, a college team under AIU, or a private academy affiliated to your state association. From there, age-group state championships and Khelo India events are the standard route into the national pipeline.

What government schemes support Kickboxing athletes?▾

The core schemes are Khelo India (talent development stipends, scholarships and boarding at accredited centres), TOPS (funding for elite athletes preparing for the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games), and state-government cash awards, jobs and land grants for medallists. Federation-specific schemes may also apply.

Where can I train for Kickboxing?▾

Sports Authority of India (SAI) national centres of excellence, Khelo India accredited academies, state sports institutes and private academies registered with the state association are the standard training venues. The Academies section on this page lists options.

How are Indian Kickboxing athletes selected for international events?▾

WAKO India runs selection trials — typically the senior national championship, a dedicated trial event, or ranking-based selection — and publishes the selection policy each season. Objective criteria (times, distances, ranking points, weight-class results) dominate at the elite level.

Kickboxing in every state & UT

Dedicated pages for Kickboxing in each Indian state and Union Territory — academies, schemes, athletes and how to start.

Kickboxing