MKL organisers at the auction on Thursday in Mumbai. (Source: Express photo by Amit Chakravarty) MKL organisers at the auction on Thursday in Mumbai. (Source: Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)

Modelled along the lines of the Pro Kabaddi League, the Maharashtra State Kabaddi Association (MSKA) is set to inaugurate its own Maharashtra Kabaddi League (MKL). While the latter has assumed a format set by the marquee event, the state-based tournament has introduced a separate women’s league — the first professional one for women in any sport in the country.

Just as the men, only the women athletes affiliated with the MSKA were allowed to enter the auction bid during the auctions last month, which in turn decided the rosters for the eight Maharashtra-based franchises.

Interestingly enough, it was the women who reaped in the greater bids from the Rs 6 lakh budget per team.

Neha Ghadge was picked up by the Baramati Hurricanes for Rs 2.28 lakh, followed by 2014 Asian Games gold medallist Abhilasha Mahatre, who was picked up by the Raigad Dynamos for Rs 2.26 lakh.

Meanwhile, the highest paid athlete in the men’s category is Kulbhusahna Kalbhor, who was auctioned off for Rs 1.8 lakh to the Ratnagiri Raiders.

Given that the stars of the PKL are restricted from featuring in any other franchise-centric tournament, it was the women who were the main targets.

“The PKL players can’t compete here, but the women were not bound by any restriction. So we had the best players from Maharashtra feature in the auction,” says MKL CEO, Siddharth Mehta.

Each of the eight franchises own a men’s and a women’s team, both running parallely in their respective leagues.

Another similarity to the PKL is the upcoming event following a caravan system, with the first games starting off in Mumbai on May 15, before moving to Khed (Ratnagiri), Alibaug (Raigad) and then Pune for the knockout stages of the first season.

The MKL’s own distinction, however, is that it is catering to both men and women in the state.

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