It was in Beijing, in the year 1990, that the ancient sport of kabaddi first became a medal event at the Asian Games. Eight years after being held as a demonstration event at the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi, it marked a turning point for the sport.

A sport with fairly simple rules and originally played on bare ground, kabaddi has always been immensely popular throughout the Indian subcontinent since time immemorial, with many historical accounts showing that the sport originated at least four millennia ago.

Close historical ties between South Asia and Persia meant that the sport also traveled to many parts of present-day Iran, where it came to be known by many names but most notably as "zu." Yet, despite its widespread following in one of the world's most popular regions, kabaddi, until recently, was internationally viewed as more of a traditional recreational activity than a competitive sport.

While kabaddi was showcased to spectators as an exhibition sport ahead of the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, the transition to becoming a professional sport in the international arena came much later, with its inclusion as a demonstration sport in the 1982 Asian Games.

Becoming a part of the South Asian Games in 1985 also came as a boost for the sport's international aspirations, as it paved the way for the sport's full-fledged inclusion at the Asian Games, which would further provide the ancient sport with an international appeal.

The rules of standard kabaddi, which is the format used in international events like the Asian Games, are fairly simple.

This contact sport unfolds on a rectangular court divided into two halves, with each team comprising seven players. A "raider" from one side ventures into the opposition's half, tagging defenders before returning to home turf while continuously chanting "kabaddi" without taking a breath.

On the other hand, defenders relentlessly pursue the raider, aiming to halt their return using tackles and restraints before they cross back into their half. Kabaddi's rapid pace demands agility, strength and quick thinking, with teams alternating between attack and defense in two halves, scoring points accordingly.

The sport has evolved over the years. Instead of being played on bare ground, it is now played on a mat at the professional level and players no longer go barefoot but wear shoes.

According to media reports in India, the Pro Kabaddi League, India's national kabaddi league that was launched in 2014, saw its TV viewership cross 200 million last year, testifying to the sport's immense popularity across the country.

The league's popularity has seen it draw sponsorship from big multinational firms over the years, like Chinese mobile manufacturing giant Vivo, which signed a multi-year title sponsorship deal in 2017.

Franchises in the league have shelled out millions of rupees ($1 = 83 rupees, approximately) in recent years, making kabaddi a lucrative proposition for many of its players, something that would have been unthinkable just a decade ago.

The fact that one of the league's most famous names is Iranian player Fazel Atrachali also shows that kabaddi's reach isn't restricted to the Indian subcontinent.

Iran, in fact, won the gold medal in both the men's and women's categories at the 2018 Asian Games. It was the first time that India didn't win the title in either category at the quadrennial event.

During that competition, Iran and South Korea both beat India in the men's section. India's loss, however, was kabaddi's gain, as it signaled the sport's rising popularity outside its traditional home.

With countries like Iran and South Korea doing exceedingly well in the sport and the South Asian diaspora taking it to other countries around the world, kabaddi's recent surge in popularity is expected to continue.

This year, China too held its own national kabaddi championship for the first time. "It was a milestone event for the kabaddi movement," said Zhou Luoping, the president of the Luoyang Kabaddi Association, which represents China at the sport's global governing body, the International Kabaddi Federation.

"As this was the first national competition, it also served as a learning process for referees and athletes, and there were some deficiencies in the process of the competition," Zhou added, sounding hopeful that more kabaddi events will be held across the country in the future.

"Kabaddi has great popularity potential in China, a country with a large population," Zhou noted. "The sport does not require special sports equipment; it only needs a small field, which is simple and suitable for schools to facilitate."

A long-time kabaddi enthusiast, Zhou said the sport has forged what he called "indissoluble ties" with China, courtesy of the Asian Games. "Men's kabaddi officially became a part of the Asian Games in 1990, when it was held in Beijing. When the Asian Games returned to China, in Guangzhou in 2010, women's kabaddi became a part of the event for the first time," he pointed out.

"China is not participating in the kabaddi event of the Asian Games this time, which is because the level of professional kabaddi in China still needs to improve," Zhou said. "This edition of the Asian Games will strongly promote the positive and healthy development of kabaddi in China, and I hope to see Chinese Kabaddi players in the next Asian Games."

Kabaddi enthusiasts will certainly hope for that to be the case, as a country of China's size embracing the sport would significantly boost its long-term Olympic ambitions.