Over 500 unsung crew members toil as the Balewadi Stadium in Pune gets ready for Pro Kabaddi
The Pro Kabaddi League is set to change base once again and the kabaddi fever is set to hit the streets of Pune, when the Pro Kabaddi League will play its final act in the league stage at Pune’s Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex commonly known as the Balewadi Sports complex.
An absolutely grand sporting facility, the one of its kinds sports complex was built in 1994 when Pune hosted the National games. But the sports complex actually got a shot in the arm when it hosted the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games.
Hosting a wide range of sports, the Balewadi Sports complex offers one of the best sporting facilities for various sports like football, athletics, badminton, basketball, wrestling and kabaddi.
The home of the Puneri Paltan in the Pro Kabaddi League, the Balewadi Sports Complex is primed for action and the crew members and the groundsmen have been tirelessly working to have the venue in the best possible condition for a perfect match experience.
How Pune worked tirelessly to get the stadium ready
Mr. Manadar Patwardhan, the person in charge of getting the facility at the Balewadi Sports Complex ready, spoke to Sportskeeda as he and his crew members gave the finishing touches to what looked like a truly amazing arena for the final lap of the Pro Kabaddi League’s league stage.
“This venue is very busy and we just got four day to prepare the venue. The Pro Kabaddi league has high standards and I along with 500 members have worked tirelessly to get this venue ready for action,” said Mandar who showcased a sense of achievement in his words.
“We struggled for space last year, so we shifted the broadcasting unit outside. This is the only venue which has the broadcasting unit outside the main venue and probably the only venue its possible,” added Mandar Patwardhan.
With a capacity of 1884 to be precise, it is one of the smallest venues in the league, but the most tough to manage according to Mandar Patwardhan. “Even though it’s the smallest of the venues, it’s the toughest ones to manage. I can proudly say that my crew have done a fantastic job in getting the venue ready and I believe the Pune leg will be the best in the league so far”, said the main man behind the spectacular venue.
Rarely basking in the limelight, these men who work their socks off behind the scenes deserve huge credit not just for the success of the league, but also for a contribution for the betterment of the sport as these men leave no stone unturned when it comes to preparing the pitch and other aspects which greatly help the players play their game and entertain the masses.