Indian sports have been recognized since India was a colony of the British. In the world of today where there are many international platforms to showcase the sporting talent, India has done great in the field of sports, especially in cricket, tennis and chess. Though other sports are yet to be recognized at a higher level, there are some that India's doing well in, like badminton and F1. Though games of Indian origin take a backseat, cricket has become a religion in India. The word sports off late has been restricted to cricket, especially due to the upcoming craze of the world cup in which India performed exceptionally bad. Inspite of such a performance, Indians are still eyeing the next cricket tournaments to see their cricketing Gods play!
Tennis was brought to a height in India around 20th century only, but after the fall of the Indian initiators, tennis has not really been the hit amongst Indians for Indian players. Tennis hasn't been a consistent game being followed in India, but it has greatly depended on the player representing India. Chess again, is standing on the back of a single champ ever since it gained recognition. Though there are efforts to make it big into the field of chess, but the experience and wit is mastered by a single Indian!
Other sports like F1 racing, archery and shooting are developing at a great pace and there can a great future for India in them. India would also be playing the host for the upcoming common-wealth games and cricket world cup. This would open great opportunity for the youngsters to compete and witness the professionalism in the same!
Sports commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities to the competitor are the sole determiner of the outcome. In early India, sports in India were very much concerned about the development of the physique and for the art of offense and defence. Along with recreation, sports played a vital role in the development of a man's personality. Important amongst a variety of them included indoor games, Music, Dinging and Dancing, Wrestling, outdoor sports like Fishing and Boating, Chariot race, Archery, etc.
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But now, popular sports in India include Cricket, Soccer, Field Hockey, Lawn Tennis, Chess, Boxing, Gymnastic, sailing, Squash, Volley Ball, Billiards and snooker, Polo, Kabaddi, formula one, and Rifle shooting. Though field hockey is the national sport of India, Cricket is the most popular sport in the country. By far, Cricket is India's most popular sport these days. It has contributed many players to the game such as Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Mahindar Singh, Sachin Tendulakar, Sourav Ganguli, Rahul Dravid, Mahinder Singh Dhoni, etc. the administrative body of Indian Cricket is run by BCCI (Board of Cricket Control in India). There are two main domestic tournaments in India i.e., the Ranji Trophy and the Duleep Trophy. However, recently, Twenty20 leagues have been started up i.e., the Indian Premier League and the Indian Cricket League, by India.
Even though Cricket has by far overtaken Hockey in popularity, Hockey still strikes an emotional cord especially with the older generation. Likewise, Football is one of the major sports in India. Though it was introduced during the British occupation, in some areas of the country it is more popular than Cricket.
Sports in India is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. A wide range of sports has become a prominent part of Indian culture. In that, industrialization has brought increased leisure time to the Indians, leading to more time for them to attend and follow spectator sports, participation in activities, and increased enthusiasm.
India has hosted many renowned games and is busy decorating New Delhi, the capital city, for the oncoming Common Wealth Games 2008. This shows the Indians taste and passion towards sports. In India, sports are played from ancient time by rulers and emperors. The government has set objectives to preserve sports as cultural heritage of India by promoting consciousness among people.
Among many sports some carry regional or cultural importance. The boat racing, camel riding, horse riding, swimming are some that are played at festival seasons. These sports have also become reasons of tourist attractions. Every year tourist from all around the world gathers to enjoy these sports and add flavor in their lives. |
Famous Games in India
