The Karnataka Siddi Sports Association Uttara Kannada (Karnataka) conducts the Pro Kabaddi League Season 3 @ Haliyal
By Manjunath K. Shresthi
February 10, 2026
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India is a melting pot of diverse cultures and communities have been peacefully coexisting for times immemorial. The Siddi’s of east African origin too form a part of the India’s vast cultural kaleidoscope. The Siddi’s were the first to be influenced by globalisation when they were forcefully evicted from their place of birth, and transported to some distant lands on different corners of the globe. The Africans residing on the west coast were shipped as merchandise to work as slaves in the new discovered lands in the Caribbean, north, central and south American countries conquered by the European colonisers. The same story was re-enacted on the east African coast. The native African men and women were shipped to Arabian lands, and later to different countries in the far East. In India, they were brought to the western coast and their journey starts here. The Siddi’s from east Africa trace their roots to the Bantu speaking people. The Siddi’s are found in large numbers in the state of Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra. They’re also present in Telangana state in the south; and some families known to reside in the Awadh region of the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
In the southern state of Karnataka, they’ reside in the north-western part of Uttara Kannada (U.K) district. They’re found in sizeable numbers in the five taluks of: Ankola, Haliyal, Mundgod, Sirsi and Yellapur. They have their own unique culture and have distinguished themselves in all the sports they participate in. The Karnataka Siddi Sports Association held the pro Kabaddi Season-3 at the Shivaji ground Haliyal, from February 7-9, 2026. A total of nine teams participated. The matches were played mostly during the night as is their tradition. The community leaders who were present included: Anton Digekar, Monu Dodmani, Moula Ali Ajgaonkar, Saver Siddi, Allahbaksh Patil, Yakubsab Naik, Daniel and Santosh Siddi. The committee members worked the details to make the sporting event a success. Mohan Sukumar Siddi, a gold medallist in a sporting event was felicitated. The match referee along with the other officials saw that all the matches were completed within the allotted time.
The nine teams and their respective owners who participated were: SMK Warriors, Kirwatti; Nayak Brothers, Golehalli; MS Brothers; Thunder Riders; Naik Soldiers; Kali Manjaro Black Panthers; Superstar Bhagawati; JSSD Warriors, Mainalli and FC Kalleshwar. The team with an interesting name Kali Manjaro Black Panthers, rhyming with Mount Kilimanjiro (dormant highest volcano in Tanzania, east Africa). Music and sports is in the blood of all the Siddi’s. Their talent can be tapped to its full potential, and if properly trained they’ll bring name and fame to their states and to the country at the international sporting events. The trophy was won by Naik Soldiers and the other runners up were FC Kalleshwar, Kali Manjaro Black Panthers and Naik Brothers respectively.
There were four prizes for the first four teams of Rs. 40,000/-, 30,000/- , 25000/- and 15,000 respectively. The Department of African Studies, University of Delhi, too had jointly sponsored the third prize of Rs. 25000/-. The Haliyal-Joida MLA and senior Congress leader R. V. Deshpande wished the teams and told them to play the game in the right spirit. The commentators added spice and spoke in Kannada, Konkani, Hindi and English languages. Some of the punch lines by those in high spirits tickled the funny bone of all present there. The crowd too exchanged banter and some of them added the much needed comic relief.
