CM Bhagwant Mann hails Punjab's Simran Kamboj after India's Kabaddi gold
Synopsis
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann congratulated the Indian women's kabaddi team on defeating Uganda 35–15 in the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship final, giving special recognition to Simran Kamboj from village Panjawa in Sri Muktsar Sahib district as a source of state pride.
Key Takeaways
India defeated Uganda 35–15 in the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship final to win the gold medal.
Simran Kamboj , from village Panjawa in Sri Muktsar Sahib district , Punjab, was part of the gold-winning team.
CM Bhagwant Mann publicly congratulated Simran and her family, calling the achievement 'historic.' Mann praised Punjab's daughters for 'illuminating the nation's name' in international sport.
Sri Muktsar Sahib has a long tradition of producing kabaddi talent for national teams.
Women's participation in kabaddi from Punjab has grown steadily, with international tournaments offering key visibility.
A girl from village Panjawa in Sri Muktsar Sahib district helped India dominate the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship final, and Punjab's Chief Minister made sure the country took notice. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, congratulated the Indian women's kabaddi team on defeating Uganda 35–15 in the final to clinch the gold medal, while singling out home-grown player Simran Kamboj for special pride.
Posting in Punjabi on X, CM Mann wrote: 'ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੀਆਂ ਧੀਆਂ ਇਵੇਂ ਹੀ ਦੇਸ਼ ਦਾ ਨਾਂ ਰੌਸ਼ਨ ਕਰਦੀਆਂ ਰਹਿਣ' — 'May the daughters of Punjab keep illuminating the nation's name in the world of sports.' He extended congratulations to Simran's family as well, calling the feat a 'historic achievement.'
Simran Kamboj: from Panjawa to the podium
Simran Kamboj's journey from a rural village in Sri Muktsar Sahib to a gold-medal finish on an international stage is exactly the kind of story Punjab's sporting culture is built on. The district — tucked in the state's southwest — has long been a nursery for kabaddi talent, its open fields and village-level tournaments feeding players into state and national squads for decades.
Women's kabaddi from Punjab has grown sharply in recent years, with players from rural backgrounds increasingly representing India at international tournaments. Simran's gold is the latest in that rising arc. CM Mann's public shout-out is also a familiar, deliberate move: state leaders have routinely used such moments to spotlight local champions, signalling to young athletes in smaller districts that the spotlight will find them.
India's 35–15 demolition of Uganda in the final
The margin tells its own story. India's 35–15 victory over Uganda in the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship final was commanding from start to finish — a gap of 20 points that underlined India's dominance in the sport it effectively codified and exported to the Commonwealth stage.
The tournament brings together national teams from across the Commonwealth, giving kabaddi — a sport that traces its mass-participation roots to the Indian subcontinent — a formal multilateral platform. For Indian players, particularly women from states like Punjab, it remains one of the most visible international stages outside the Asian Games circuit.
Simran Kamboj and her teammates have now added a Commonwealth gold to India's trophy cabinet. If past patterns hold, the state government's applause today is often a precursor to formal felicitations and infrastructure announcements in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
The CM converts a national sporting triumph into a localised pride moment — one that resonates across Punjab's sports-obsessed rural belt. It also pre-positions the government ahead of any potential felicitation or athlete-welfare announcement. For Punjabi women in kabaddi, this kind of top-level visibility has historically translated into increased institutional support and junior participation at the district level.
NationPress
3 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Simran Kamboj kabaddi player?
Simran Kamboj is a kabaddi player from village Panjawa in Sri Muktsar Sahib district , Punjab. She was part of the Indian team that won gold at the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship by defeating Uganda 35–15 in the final.
What was the result of India vs Uganda in the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship final?
India defeated Uganda 35–15 in the final of the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship to claim the gold medal.
What did Bhagwant Mann say about India's kabaddi gold medal?
CM Bhagwant Mann congratulated the entire Indian team and gave special recognition to Punjabi player Simran Kamboj , calling her achievement 'historic' and expressing pride in Punjab's daughters illuminating the nation's name in sport.
What is the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship?
The Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship is an international kabaddi tournament featuring national teams from Commonwealth countries, providing one of the sport's most prominent multilateral competitive platforms.
Which district in Punjab is known for producing kabaddi players?
Sri Muktsar Sahib in southwest Punjab is widely known for producing rural kabaddi talent. Players from the district, including Simran Kamboj , have represented India at the national and international level.
