An overview of sport in modern India

Chelladurai, Packianathan and Patil, Swarali ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9634-2301 (2021) An overview of sport in modern India. In: The Routledge Handbook of Sport in Asia. Routledge, Abingdon, Oxon, pp. 278-288. ISBN 9780367183776 (hardback); 9780429061202 (ebook); 9780367504731 (paperback)

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Abstract

India is a land of immense cultural, religious and linguistic diversity. India has a strong tradition of sport participation, with modern sport such as cricket and tennis being attributed to the British colonisation era, and indigenous sport such as kabaddi and kho-kho making a comeback in the mainstream. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sport and the Sports Authority of India govern sport in India. These agencies have introduced programmes to attract the nation’s youth to participate in sporting events by providing them with financial and logistic support. With a growing middle class, the increase in disposable income and a new perspective towards being physically active, India’s participation in sport and recreation activities is on the rise. The advent of professional sporting leagues and the inspirational performances of Indian athletes ensure the country’s sporting tradition will continue to grow and flourish.