Shankarrao Salvi

{{short description|Indian kabaddi player (1931–2007)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Use Indian English|date=August 2013}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Shankarrao Salvi

| other_names = Buwa Salvi

| image = Shankarrao Salvi.jpg

| imagesize = 220px

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1931|7|15}}

| birth_place =

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2007|2|15|1931|7|15}}

| death_place = Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

| occupation = Kabaddi player

| yearsactive =

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}}

Shankarrao Salvi (15 July 1931 – 15 February 2007) was an Indian Kabaddi player,{{cite news|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/sports/federation-cup-kabaddi-in-mumbai-from-may-6_369282.html|title=Federation Cup Kabaddi in Mumbai from May 6|date=3 May 2007|work=Zee News|accessdate=7 August 2013}} coach and administrator. He was life president of Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India.

Salvi is described as a persuasive speaker. His efforts in the field resulted in the merging of "hu tu tu" into a standardised version of kabaddi. Hu tu tu, a traditional game similar to kabaddi, played in Maharashtra has nine players per side whereas the standard kabaddi is played with seven players per side. Traditionalists in Maharashtra had resisted replacement of the word "hu tu tu" with "kabaddi" a word more common in northern India. They had persisted in their resistance even after its acceptance in the southern India states.

Salvi was a Royist, who cultivated good relations with the state government and lobbied with chief ministers of Maharashtra, to obtain state patronage for Kabaddi. He didn't abuse his contacts for personal benefits; when asked by the Chief Minister what he wanted, Salvi even though he lived in a rented house, requested for space for an administrative office for kabaddi. Salvi travelled widely to popularise kabaddi.{{cite news|url=http://maharashtratimes.indiatimes.com/articleshowarchive.cms?msid=1025275|title=बुवा साळवी|date=18 February 2005|work=Maharashtra Times|language=Marathi|accessdate=9 August 2013|archive-date=9 August 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130809025307/http://maharashtratimes.indiatimes.com/articleshowarchive.cms?msid=1025275|url-status=dead}} In the 1970s, Salvi organised tours to Bangladesh and Japan. His efforts lead to the popularisation of the sport internationally and its being played in the Asian Games in 1990 where India won the gold medal.{{cite news|url=http://www.mid-day.com/news/2007/feb/151992.htm|title=Doyen of kabaddi Shankarrao Salvi dead|date=16 February 2007|work=Mid-Day|accessdate=7 August 2013}} He was a member of the working committee of the International Kabaddi Federation when the foundation was created in 2004.{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/11/22/stories/2004112201071700.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041224173905/http://www.hindu.com/2004/11/22/stories/2004112201071700.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 December 2004|title=Gehlot to head IKF |date=22 November 2004|work=The Hindu|accessdate=7 August 2013}}

Salvi received the "Shiv Chhatrapati Rajya Krida Jivan Gaurav Puraskar", awarded by the Government of Maharashtra to sportspersons from Maharashtra for lifetime contribution to sports in 2005.{{cite news|url=http://www.mid-day.com/news/2005/feb/104059.htm|title=State's sportspersons awarded|date=20 February 2005|work=Mid-Day|accessdate=7 August 2013|archive-date=25 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240425052121/https://www.mid-day.com/news/2005/feb/104059.htm|url-status=live}}

He is popularly referred to as "Buwa Salvi" and honorarily as "Kabaddi Maharashi" or the grand old man of Kabaddi.{{cite news|url=http://www.univarta.com/eng/displaystory.php?sid=484&ngsystemtask=3325weare24olym54hrt56u6755uwere21stories15|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130721004959/http://www.univarta.com/eng/displaystory.php?sid=484&ngsystemtask=3325weare24olym54hrt56u6755uwere21stories15|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 July 2013|title=Need to develop kabaddi: Pawar|date=15 July 2013|work=United News of India|access-date=7 August 2013}} He died on 15 February 2007 at the age of 75 in Mumbai. The 27th Federation Cup Kabaddi Tournament, held in May 2007 in Mumbai and organised by Maharashtra State Kabaddi Association was dedicated to Salvi. His birthday, 15 July, is observed as Kabaddi Din ("Kabaddi Day") in Maharashtra. The venue of the 57th Maharashtra State Kabaddi Championship was named after him as "Late Shankarrao Salvi Krida Nagri".{{cite news|url=http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=30§id=edid=&edlabel=TOIM&mydateHid=20-11-2010&pubname=&edname=&articleid=Ar03001&publabel=TOI|title=Kabaddi Cship from today |date=20 November 2010|work=The Times of India|accessdate=8 August 2013}}{{dead link|date=April 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}