Kabaddi (sometimes written Kabbadi or Kabadi) ( otherwise known as ,, , , ,; ) is a team sport originally from the Indian subcontinent. It is popular throughout South Asia, and has also spread to Southeast Asia, Japan and Iran. It is the national game of Bangladesh, and the state game of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Maharashtra in India. It is played by the British Army for fun, to keep fit and as an enticement to recruit soldiers from the British Asian community. The name, often chanted during a game, derives from a Hindi word meaning "holding of breath", a crucial aspect of play.