The scenario for sports in India has drastically changed over the years. The reason why this has been made possible is because of the emerging new talents, increased support from the government, and also the changes in the mindset of the people. In India, there isn’t one sport that we can talk about because, with emerging players, the demand for all sports is increasing rapidly with an optimistic approach, where several most popular sports in India emerged. Therefore the interest also surged for many individuals and triggered the idea to undertake sports as a career. Let’s talk about more in this blog. Read more to explore more.
Arising Personalities
With the emerging personalities, the name and fame of that particular sport have jerked, leading to the flourishing of that game in the country. India is not only a country for cricket and football, but it also nurtures individuals’ interests by establishing other sports clubs and leagues. Like how the craze for badminton peaked with the performance of P.V Sindhu in the Rio Olympics, similarly, the wrestling scenario emerged in power with the performances of Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat. And above all, Neeraj Chopra’s gold medal win in the Tokyo Olympics 2022 has also inspired us to take up sports.
Mary Kom’s performance has made her the synonym for Indian Women’s Boxing, where she gained many titles and also won many championships. Her notable achievements include winning the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Among the fame of this well-known sport, some hidden sports in India have also created history across the world. The sport depicts the Indian culture archer, which was taken up to the next level by Arjun and Eklavya, as well as Deepika Kumari. However, if you are aiming to become one of these personalities. In that case, you can book a proper sports avenue near you, which can both guide you and assist you in undertaking your favourite sports activities with the utmost care.
History of Indian Sports
The history of sports in India goes back to the Vedic Era, fuelled and given importance based on religious beliefs. Even badminton, which we play today, emerged from the English children’s game battledore and shuttlecock, which was a prominent game in ancient Indian culture.
Sports in India also hold prominence from ancient texts as well like Ramayana and Mahabharata where Bhima and Hanuman were qualified wrestlers as well. Even during the Era of Mahabharata, the Pandava princes Arjun and Ekalavya were expert archers in the game. Apart from this, several indoor games emerged as prominent figures and gained importance later. Board games such as Chess, Snakes, and Ladders have also originated from ancient games such as Chaturanga and Gyan Cheaper.
Several variations of the tag have also emerged, such as the Kabaddi and Kho-Kho, which originated in prehistoric times and are now prominently played in India.
Even during the era of the Mughals, various forms of wrestling emerged, such as pehalwani, malla yuddha, and a Persian variant of varzesh-e-bastani.
What are the factors affecting the Sports Culture in India?
The factors affecting the sports culture in India are;
Good Infrastructure
Good infrastructure always plays a vital role in the development of the country’s sports culture. It helps introduce things like state-of-the-art sports complexes, stadiums, and training facilities in the country. The government should undertake this measure not only to elevate the standard of training but also to position India as a favourable decision for hosting international sporting events.
Professional Coaching and Career Guidance
Good professional coaching can change the way people perceive sports and how much passion they have for a particular sport. With perfect guidance, people’s minds can be trained to undertake those sports activities without any fear or hesitation. For that, they have to be supervised by expert coaches and sports trainers to make sure that they get motivated enough to pursue their dreams if they are ever interested.
Entertainment
Sports have always been viewed as a part of celebration among the fan base. This huge fan base was the result of the establishment of several sports leagues in the country, like the Indian Premier Leagues for Cricket, the Indian Super League for Football, the Pro-Kabaddi Leagues, and many more. However, the scenario for sports has crossed beyond just being for entertainment and is being worshipped among the people in the country.
Cultural Mindset
A decade ago, people’s mindset about sports was different. Investing in sports was not given much importance, but the scenario today has changed completely. Now, both educational institutions and parents are focusing on the kids, allowing them to participate and stay engaged even in extracurricular activities other than sports.
Global Success Rate
The global success rate in many sports is also encouraging many individuals to change their perspective and they are actively participating in sports. Athletes such as Neeraj Chopra, who won gold in weightlifting, Mirabai Chanu, who won silver in weightlifting, and the Indian men’s and women’s teams, who won bronze for their excellent performance in hockey, have also brought some laurels to the nation.
Sports have become an integral part of Indian culture due to many things, as discussed above like the passionate players emerging every day, support from the higher authorities, which has led to the emergence of several professional leagues and clubs, a change in people’s mindsets about sports, and many more. However, the future of sports is expected to flourish more with more active participants worldwide.