Bengaluru, July 20: Star raider Sai Prasad emerged as the most expensive player in the inaugural Karnataka Kabaddi Premier League (KKPL) player auction after being signed by Uttara Kannada Stallions for ₹3.60 lakh.
The auction, held at Koramangala Club in Bengaluru, witnessed intense bidding among all eight franchises as they built their squads for the maiden edition of the State-level franchise-based kabaddi league. The tournament will be played at the Koramangala Indoor Stadium, Bengaluru.
Sai Prasad attracted interest from several franchises before Uttara Kannada Stallions secured his services with the highest bid of the day. Gagan Gowda became the second-most expensive player after Hoysala Empire signed him for ₹3.20 lakh following a competitive bidding battle.
Among the other marquee signings, Sushil Kambrekar joined Mangalore Indians for ₹2.90 lakh, while Vishwash S was picked up by Vijayapura Lions for ₹2.60 lakh. Vinod Naik strengthened the Uttara Kannada Stallions squad after being acquired for ₹2.20 lakh.
Several players also crossed the ₹2 lakh mark during the auction. Manoj Gowda was signed by Belagavi Bulls for ₹2.10 lakh, while Abhishek S and Anand V were bought by Chalukya Sena Bagalkote for ₹2 lakh each. Mohammad Afreed also fetched ₹2 lakh, joining Mangalore Indians, while Ranjit Naik was signed by Bengaluru Bisons for ₹2 lakh.
The auction featured two player categories. A total of 35 elite players were sold from Category A, while 70 players were picked up from Category B.
Each franchise had a purse of ₹10 lakh and was required to build a squad of 14 players. The franchises balanced their budgets strategically while assembling competitive teams for the league’s inaugural season.
In the Category B auction, Abdul Nasir emerged as the highest-priced player after being signed by Mysuru Mahasenas for ₹1.35 lakh. Devanathan was the second-highest buy in the category, joining Bengaluru Bisons for ₹1.15 lakh. Srinivas was picked by Uttara Kannada Stallions for ₹85,000, while Shreyas joined Bengaluru Bisons for ₹75,000. Chidanand Suresh Vastar was signed by Chalukya Sena Bagalkote for ₹75,000.
The Karnataka Kabaddi Premier League is being organised for the first time by the Karnataka Amateur Kabaddi Association in association with 5N Sports Private Limited. The league aims to create a professional platform for talented kabaddi players from across Karnataka, particularly those from rural areas, while providing them with greater opportunities to showcase their talent and pursue professional careers.
With the player auction completed, all eight franchises have assembled their squads and will now begin preparations for the inaugural season of the league, which is expected to provide a significant boost to kabaddi in Karnataka.
During the auction, each franchise was represented by up to six members, including the owner, coach, manager and mentor.
Participating Franchises
- Bengaluru Bisons – Owner: Anand Gowda
- Mangalore Indians – Owner: Mohiddin Bava
- Mysuru Mahasenas – Owners: Prof. Dayanand Sagar and Dr. Dayanand Chikkanna
- Vijayapura Lions – Owner: Lohith Shetty
- Belagavi Bulls – Owner: Halappa Hukkeri
- Chalukya Sena (Bagalkote) – Owner: S.R. Patil
- Uttara Kannada Stallions – Owner: Vinayak Ghosh
- Hoysala Empire (Hassan) – Owners: Janardhan Reddy and Kaverappa