Sports in India date back to Ancient Vedic times where different regions hosted their own variety of sporting events. There weren’t many nationwide sports, simply due to the lack of communication and transportation technology in those times. It is quite a different story in today’s world though. Nowadays there are tons of sports that people all across India play, as well as games such as bingo and of course traditional regional based games from ancient times.

The most popular sports in India is arguably cricket, due to the sheer fan base and how large the game has become in the country. India is currently one of the best International cricket teams, which is followed by millions of people across the globe. A new club cricket system, similar to the football systems in Europe has also come into existence recently and is already showing great potential.

Other popular sports in India include golf, hockey, kabaddi, kho kho and lawn tennis. More traditional games include archery, boat racing and the fighting arts. There are a plethora of other sports not as well known but equally popular to local populations.

Among the more traditional Indian sports are the martial arts, which flourished during the time of Buddhism’s peak. It was from the Buddhist movement that the famous Chan Patriarch Arya Bodhi Dharma exported martial arts from India and gave it to the Chinese Monks of the Famous Shaolin Temple, thus spreading this wonderful gift to others who needed to improve their health and fighting skills.

The history of Indian sport has evolved though out the centuries in a colorful and unique way in each area of the country due to India’s diverse population who have developed different modes and customs of living over thousands of years.

Nowadays, the Indian government is giving many incentives to increase sporting prowess in India, namely through the following schemes: sports initiative programs, improvements in sports infrastructure, awards for excellence, incentives for the promotion of sports activities and general physical education in schools and colleges through out the country.

Here is a closer look into some of India’s most popular sports:

Cricket

Cricket is by far one of the most popular games played in India today. It was brought to the subcontinent along with other British sports during England’s rule over the country. The sport is known to be at least a 250 years old. India won it’s first major trophy or “cup” in international cricket in 1983 and has never looked back as it is now consistently one of the top teams in world league tables. Cricket is classified as a national sport in India. Two famous domestic trophies for home games are the Duleep and Ranji Trophies.

Hockey

Although hockey is originally a game created by the Persians over two thousand years ago it was also brought into India by the British and has also evolved into a national sport of India. Many Indian athletes have won hockey medals in the Olympic games as the country is always sending a batch of hockey players to the Olympics in representation of the country. The Bharatiya Hockey Andolan is an organization famous for making this sport accessible to many of the players we know today and it is largely in part to this organization that India has been able to produce so many great players.

Kho Kho

Kho Kho is a traditional Indian sport that is very popular among the masses. It consists of teams of 12 runners who each have to run and chase each other in seven minute parts. This game is extremely exciting to watch and of course inexpensive to play, which is why it is very popular. It originated in Maharashtra, but is now played all over India. The Kho-Kho Federation of India is the main body behind the sport which is played on all levels domestically ranging from local school matches to provincial and university tournaments. The Arjuna Award is one of the most prestigious wards that can be won by Kho Kho players.

Kabbadi

Kabbadi is an ancient Indian game dating back around four thousand years and also consists of teams comprising of twelve players each. The game has similar characteristics to Rugby and combines wrestling elements also. There are three forms of Kabbadi played officially in India which are the Surjeevani, Gaminee and Amar styles. There is an official body for the sport, called the Kabaddi Federation of India, which was formed in 1950. It really helped to make the game more exciting for locals as it brought it to a higher status where players can win national awards including the Arjuna Award for sporting excellence.

There is so much that can be said about Indian sports and this article has just scratched the surface of sports in India, which is a topic that Indians are so proud of today and which is big part of their heritage. Sports in India play an integral part of the population’s entertainment primarily because it is an inexpensive way to have fun and also because it imbues a sense of belonging and community spirit which are big aspects of Indian Life in general. With sporting bodies sprouting up all over the country in today’s modern competitive light, Indian sport has been taken to another level as players from the country are now actively competing on International levels.