sports culture in india essay

Essay on Sports in India

Students are often asked to write an essay on Sports in India in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

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100 Words Essay on Sports in India

Introduction.

India is a country where sports are deeply rooted in the culture. From ancient games like Kabaddi to modern ones like cricket, sports have always been a significant part of Indian life.

Popular Sports

Cricket is the most popular sport in India. It’s not just a game here, but a religion. Hockey, the national sport, also has a strong following.

International Recognition

India has gained international recognition in sports. In cricket, India has won multiple World Cups. In other sports like badminton and wrestling, Indian athletes have achieved global fame.

In conclusion, sports play a crucial role in India, uniting people and bringing international glory. The future of Indian sports looks promising with the growing interest in various games.

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Speech on Sports in India

250 Words Essay on Sports in India

Historical perspective.

India’s sporting culture has evolved significantly over centuries. Ancient texts like the Mahabharata and Ramayana indicate the prevalence of sports such as chariot racing and archery. During the Mughal era, sports like polo and chess gained popularity.

Colonial Impact and Cricket

The British colonial rule introduced new sports, most notably cricket. Cricket became a national obsession, reflecting India’s colonial past and post-colonial identity. Its popularity overshadowed traditional sports, creating a skewed sporting culture.

Government Initiatives

Post-independence, the government established various sports bodies and introduced schemes like “Khelo India” to promote sports. Despite these initiatives, the focus remained primarily on cricket, leading to a lack of infrastructure and funding for other sports.

Recent Developments

The 21st century witnessed a shift. Sports like badminton, wrestling, and shooting started gaining recognition due to consistent international performances. The advent of leagues like the Indian Super League (Football) and Pro Kabaddi League revitalized interest in diverse sports.

Challenges and Future

Despite progress, challenges persist. Inadequate infrastructure, lack of professional coaching, and corruption in sports bodies hinder growth. However, the increasing success of Indian athletes on international platforms is inspiring a new generation. With strategic planning and implementation, India can emerge as a global sporting powerhouse.

In conclusion, sports in India have a rich history and promising future. However, the journey involves overcoming significant challenges to ensure equitable development across all sports. The recent successes serve as a beacon of hope, pointing towards a future where India’s sporting culture is as diverse as its heritage.

500 Words Essay on Sports in India

India, a nation with a rich history and diverse culture, has a unique relationship with sports. While cricket is often seen as a religion, many other sports also hold significant importance in the Indian society. Sports in India are a blend of traditional games and modern sports, reflecting the country’s socio-cultural milieu.

Sports in India have been an integral part of the culture since ancient times. Games like Chess and Polo were invented in India and were later spread to the world. The Rigveda mentions archery, chariot racing, and animal fights, indicating the importance of sports in Vedic society. The Mughal period saw the advent of sports like wrestling and hunting, which are still popular in certain regions.

Cricket: The Unofficial National Sport

The British introduced cricket to India in the 18th century. Since then, cricket has become the most popular sport in the country, eclipsing all others in terms of viewership and participation. The Indian cricket team’s success on the international stage, including two World Cup victories, has further ingrained cricket into the national consciousness. The Indian Premier League (IPL), a professional Twenty20 cricket league, has transformed the sport into a lucrative industry, attracting global attention.

Other Popular Sports

Despite the dominance of cricket, other sports like hockey, football, badminton, and wrestling have also made their mark. Hockey, the official national sport, brought India eight Olympic gold medals, making it one of the most successful sports in India’s history. In recent years, sports like badminton and wrestling have gained popularity due to the international success of players like P.V. Sindhu and Sushil Kumar.

The Rise of New Sports

The 21st century has witnessed the emergence of new sports in India. Leagues for sports like kabaddi (Pro Kabaddi League) and football (Indian Super League) have been launched, inspired by the IPL’s success. These leagues have helped popularize these sports, providing a platform for local talent to shine.

The Indian government has launched several initiatives to promote sports. The Khelo India programme aims to identify and nurture sporting talent at the grassroots level. The government has also invested in sports infrastructure and training facilities, recognizing the role of sports in promoting health and national pride.

Challenges and the Way Forward

Despite the progress, Indian sports face several challenges. These include inadequate infrastructure, lack of professional training, and corruption in sports bodies. Addressing these issues is crucial for the further development of sports in India. The way forward involves comprehensive sports policies, increased investment, and a culture that values sports as an essential part of education and personal development.

Sports in India have come a long way from being mere recreational activities to becoming a significant aspect of the country’s cultural identity. The future of Indian sports looks promising, with the rise of new sports, government initiatives, and increasing global recognition. However, addressing the existing challenges is crucial to ensure the continued growth and success of Indian sports on the international stage.

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Sports in India Essay | Essay on Sports in India for Students and Children in English

Sports in India Essay: Over the past few decades, with active involvement in major global decisions and events, India has left significant footprint in every arena. On the threshold of achieving the mantle of global leadership, Indian success story is scripted in diverse fields of political debates, economy, social ventures, entrepreneurship, art and culture. However, the domain of sports continues to experience drought of significant Indian presence. The nation of over 1.2bn continues to grapple with ideas to build a sporting culture.

You can read more Essay Writing about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

Long and Short Essays on Sports in India for Students and Kids in English

A Long essay on the topic of Laughter is the Best Medicine is provided; it is of 450-500 words. A short composition of 100-150 words is also given below. The extended articles are popular among students of classes 7, 8, 9, and 10. On the other hand, students in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 can refer to short essays.

Long Essay on Sports in India 150 Words in English

Long Essay on Sports in India is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Sports in Indian society have always been viewed as a leisure activity, which is given the “leftover” time, after tending to “more significant” activities. From time immemorial, kings and princes indulged in sports like hunting or chariot racing for the purpose of amusement. Though the global notions about sports underwent a change, the Indian mindset has refused to bring out and expand the place of sports in our society.

Over the past decades, with every passing global sporting event like the Olympics or the Asiads, our attention shifts to the depressing state if Indian sports. This attention span is minimal. As a society, we return to our works for sustenance and in training the upcoming generation to earn their daily bread. For the nation, we expect medals in global events but shirk away from preparing our child to be that medal winner.

The presence or absence of sporting culture in any society is a reflection of several other factors operating simultaneously in the social milieu. India, with huge population as a resource is gifted with a large pool of human resource to draw out talent for different sports. Towns and villages abound with youngsters, whose natural inclination towards sports, can be molded into global sporting personalities.

Dhanraj Pillai, Deepika Kumari, Vijender Singh, Sushil Kumar all represent the twinkle eyed youngster from small towns with big aspirations to shine with their talent, when presented with any opportunity. But the names are few enough to be counted on fingertips. A sporting culture would require proliferation of such opportunities, through government and corporate endeavors, to nooks and corners of the nation.

As a developing nation with huge population and debilitating unemployment, “career development” is a major cause of worry for the youth and their parents. The mindset which is rigidly cast in our society expects students to devote themselves unconditionally to books till they emerge out with decent jobs. Studies are considered the sole path to land up a decent job to earn livelihood and raise a family. This route has attained social sanction and any deviation from this standard finds awkward stares, rebukes and obstructions to overcome. For a sporting culture to develop, sports must be viewed as a viable career option in the Indian society.

Parents fail to recognize sports as career option in India. They understood the limited nature of opportunities for the sportsmen at the recognized national level. Only a handful, from amongst a million aspirants, due to several reasons, get to represent the Indian national side in any sport. The remaining becomes part of the crowd, jostling for space to shine at the pinnacle. Any position below the top goes unrecognized and remains non-lucrative to be perused as a career option in sport. But as a society don’t we fail to recognize the same situation in other disciplines as well. We are ready to push our children to become mediocre or sub-standard engineers, doctors, lawyers, CAs but not as a sportsman. This reflects upon the challenge in building India into a sporting nation.

Sporting culture will begin to take shape only when an assured career progression system can be charted out for every sport. This will induce confidence in parents to permit their child to follow his sporting passion as a decent earning assurance at every step even below the nationals could be visualized. Another impediment in the way of building sporting culture is the lack of quality and affordable coaching available for youngsters to pursue their dreams. Most schools fail to provide for a specialized coach for every sport as that will add to the school fees.

As sport is not considered as an integrated part of education, this expenditure is viewed as an avoidable burden by the school authorities. They end up hiring a generalist trainer who fails to spot talent for a particular sport and groom the child accordingly. Also, the infrastructure in most schools is found wanting to promote most of the sports. The private coaching centres have recently found space in certain cities. However, the high cost charged by them deters the talented youth from lower and middle class from joining these centres.

The performances in sports at school and college level fail to attract appreciation and recognition. The student is judged only by his ability to obtain marks in academics, which adds to the peer pressure of an aspiring sportsman. He is expected to perform in academics for the social acceptance and additionally find, time and energy to shine in the sports coaching academies, simply to justify his interest and ability. This dual expectation burden has nipped several budding sporting talents at the very onset of their careers.

Lack of transparency at various selection levels has also been afflicting the Indian sports. Sincere hard working youth often fail to make the cut in the trials where several unethical practices seem to dominate. Lack of fairness at trials is a big setback to the honest efforts of any sportsman. Feeling of dejection is compounded by the future related uncertainties and social mockery of his abilities.

Absence of a healthy and dependable social security system adds to the resistance in pursuing sports as a career. Any major injury or lack of selector’s favourable nod can prolong the period of struggle, characterized by uncertain and meager income source. The healthy social security system of networked schools and health care abroad recognize and support players of the zonal and club levels to the fullest. This state provided assurance promotes a confidence in the society to create space for a sporting culture to proliferate. The role of administrative bodies also comes under scanner when deliberating upon development of sporting culture.

Most of these bodies have become granaries of inefficiency and malfunctioning. Often run as fiefdoms, they prevent the transparent and accountable face of sports to emerge in Indian society. Active role of these administrative bodies with a wider involvement of senior players in decision making can give impetus to sporting culture in India. The proposal to get these bodies under the scanner of RTI is a progressive step to drive away the darkness of inefficiency and unaccountability enveloping these bodies.

With every passing Olympics, we blankly stare at spirit and stamina of global athletes competing for laurel. While US, China and European nations race ahead with medals, our levels of disappointment increase with each passing day. We feel elated even to come on board the medals tally by some spirited efforts. This picture demands a makeover. A makeover which should catapult India onto the sporting map of the world and this demands a collective effort by several stakeholders. The packed stadium euphoria of cricket needs to be replicated in other sports by a determined focus and planned approach.

For any culture to germinate and flourish, the seeds have to be healthy and rich. The recent performances at the Asiads, the Common Wealth Games and other global events portends that the embryo needs to be molded with an eye at the future. China managed to bring about such a flourishing sporting culture in about two decades. The opportune moment in Indian sporting history is now and needs to be grasped with both hands to develop the culture over the next few decades.

Schools are the nurseries of spotting and grooming sporting talent to bring about a makeover to Indian outlook for sports. Marks for sports performances can be an innovative step to create space for more sporting activities. Diversification of sporting activities, by providing sports other than cricket a chance must be taken up in right earnest. Higher frequency of inter and intra school sports meet will generate a competitive spirit amongst the students to shine for their units. Preparation for these meets will ensure focused time and energy spent to bring out the best of the student in the sport of his liking.

The culture of pushing all school kids to play cricket or football in their sports period must change. A focused and scientific approach to identify the sport specific talents and their grooming over a period of time will pay rich dividends over time. Free passes for students to attend sporting events in their cities will have a strong effect in imbibing sporting spirit by students. Schools can arrange interactions of students’with performing sports icons of the city to motivate and inspire youth to take to sports.

Every segment of the society must collectively take the responsibility of building the sporting culture. State must ensure that sporting facilities reach to the grassroots through schools and colleges in rural areas. Games like volleyball and handball which require minimal infrastructural support can be taken up on priority basis. Regular recruitment of coaches for schools and colleges must be emphasized and ensured. It is imminent to spread the opportunities to every part of the nation to tap the talent.

Corporate houses can contribute strongly to this cause by sponsoring of mega events. They can aid in causing awareness by publicizing events. Training academies set by MRF and Tata have been doing a yeoman service to the nation by grooming talented and providing them a platform to knock on doors of national selectors. Many products of these academies have shone brightly for the nation at different stages. Certain costly sports need active subsidized coaching either by state or the corporate. Tennis, squash, badminton or shooting have been inaccessible to common masses due to lack of adequate and affordable centre to learn the game. This arena demands active focus by government and corporate.

The state government can establish hunt teams to collaborate with district administration to hunt for hidden talent in obscure areas. Swimming talent from ponds of villages and archery from tribes of forest must be tapped by this team through coordination between school authorities, coaches and district administration. Such selected youth must be groomed in sports academies, with lodging and food to develop an Olympian for the nation.

Media and sporting icons have a critical role in building a sporting culture in India. The omnipresent media must highlight the apathy of sports bodies and raise awareness about the need for more systematized career progression in sports. It must play an active role through debates and discussions to attack the mindsets of people and sell sports as a career option.

Cricket caught the imagination of the nation by the active role of 1983 World Cup winning team and the continued stature given to cricketers by media. Cricket should not be viewed as an adversary of the sports in India. Rather lessons can be taken for the popularity of cricket to transform the cricketing culture into sporting culture. There is enough space for other sports to grow and flourish in India along with cricket.

Public memory has a very short span, especially with sports in India because as a nation we are not overly involved with sports. In such scenario, media plays a force multiplier by repeatedly flashing past performances, by interviewing famous cricketers or by holding cricket related debates and discussions. This keeps the cricketers fresh in every one’s memoiy along with the overdose of cricket matches and their “live” coverage. Such planned marketing is supported by frequent successes in cricket which has generated role models like Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar. With this backdrop and the recent successes of Saina Nehwal, Sushil Kumar, Gagan Narang, Mary Kom media must build up campaign to disseminate a ,sporting culture.

More companies should approach these stars for advertisement, campaigns so that their “presence” can be felt by society, promoting any upcoming event through adcampaigns and hoardings and by infusing money in these sports by corporate backing can bring a different scenario altogether. The ripple effect of Vijender Singh’s success transformed Bhiwani into a boxing hub. We need more such hubs for athletics, swimming, basketball, hockey and football to emerge in the nation.

Saina and Gopichand’s success turned attention towards badminton while Leander and Mahesh are looked up to in lawn tennis. The success story of these icons demands continued coverage by media along with their upcoming events, to create space for these sports. These performances must be tracked and details brought to public to allow them to have a look and encourage their child to follow these footprints.

Sports in India need a renewed focus. It is time it moves away from the last pages of newspaper, last period of schools, and last priority of parents for their child’s careers and domains of last benchers of schools and colleges. It is time that sporting authorities get a revamp by inclusion of more experienced players in decision making so that they understand requirement of players threadbare. It is time we understand that thrill and pride on hearing the national anthem played when Abhinav Bindra won the gold for India requires sustained efforts, hard work and support from parents. His case was of individuals fight despite the resistance of the system. Imagine how many more Bindras India can produce if the system is supportive, procedures conducive and mindset favourable for a sporting culture to flourish.

Globalization of Terror

The images of collapsing trade, towards are etched crystal clear in our memories. Explosions in Madrid and London were heard the world over – repeatedly in the comforts of living rooms. Closer home, serial blasts in Mumbai Malegaon or recent atrocities in Hyderabad were all carried, presented and vividly dissected in scrutiny for our consumption. Connectivity, we defend, is an asset a necessity in the modern era. The world is shrinking and the global hub has gifted numerous opportunities and advantages to en cash. But in this rush to capitalize on the fruits of globalization, have we missed its impact on a hostile framework? The role of globalization, both as a cause and vehicle of perpetration of violence is increasingly being realized.

Short Essay on Sports in India 150 Words in English

Short Essay on Sports in India is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Globalization has revolutionized each and every aspect of our society, touching us at myriad levels in numerous ways. From the times, we decided to jumps on and integrate with global forces by adopting the new economic policy, the pace of changes has only taken a unidirectional approach. Easing of restrictions on trade barriers and tariffs, introduced an era of competition and quality in the Indian markets. Consumerism has become the order of the day. Nations began to pour in their strengths to capture markets elsewhere. However, the growth story missed the vision from another segment. This market led approach bled the farmers, the weaker and the marginalized sections of our society. Though the fruits of growth percolated to these sections, inequity grew at a rapid pace, creating pockets of grudges, neglect and marginalization.

Globalization brought along an era of instant entertainment through satellite television, ignorant of the sensitivity of the population. Though the barriers of culture and religion were being broken down to build a world of understanding, the process accentuated alienation of certain segments of the society, by sheer

From Ancient Roots to Modern Glory: India’s Sports Story

by admin | Oct 16, 2023 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

India’s performance at the recently concluded Asian Games was a shining example of a sleeping giant slowly awakening. A nation of a billion people that often struggled in sports in the past, woke up to an inspiring medal tally of the 2022 Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China. Our athletes scripted history by winning an astounding 107 medals, marking it the highest medal tally in our nation’s sporting history. What was more astounding was that these laurels were from a multitude of sports, including athletics, wrestling, shooting, badminton, and boxing. As India continues to invest in the development of its athletes and sporting infrastructure, it’s not a question of “if” but “when” the nation will make a mark on the global stage.

History of Indian Sports:

India, a land rich in history, tradition, and culture, has always been a hub for activity in many aspects. The sports history of India dates back to the 4th Century BCE when traditional sports such as Kho-Kho and Kabaddi originated. Dholavira, the world’s oldest terraced arena, was built in Kutch, Gujarat, around 3000 BC, evidencing the existence of sports in India. Ancient texts like the Mahabharata, written around the 3rd century BCE, mention martial arts and archery as activities that were carried out during that era. Even indoor games like Chess and Snakes & Ladders have origins in ancient India, in the form of games of Chaturanga and Gyan Chauper, respectively.

Colonial Influence:

The arrival of colonists on Indian shores brought a significant shift in the sporting culture. The British, with their love for organised sporting events, established the first cricket club in India in 1792 and greatly propagated the sport in the country.

While the gentleman’s game took centre stage, other sports like football, tennis, and golf began to find their footing. The establishment of the Calcutta Football Club in 1872 marked the beginning of organized football in India. The British influence was evident in the rules and structure of these sports, and Indian athletes were gradually drawn into these global competitions. The British also took many indigenous games and made adaptations of their own to form brand-new sports, with badminton being a prime example.

Emergence of Indigenous Sports:

As Indians adopted British sports, they also preserved their own rich sporting heritage. Kushti, or traditional Indian wrestling, continued to thrive and found its place in the Olympics. Kabaddi, a contact sport that requires agility and strength, became popular in villages across the country. These indigenous sports, with deep-rooted traditions, represented the true spirit of India’s sporting identity.

Cricket Takes Center Stage:

While other sports continued to prosper, cricket remained the heartbeat of India’s sporting landscape. The 1983 Cricket World Cup win under Kapil Dev was a historic moment. This victory not only solidified cricket’s position but also ignited a cricketing revolution across the nation. The Indian Premier League, launched in the late 2000s, further redefined cricket and made it a global phenomenon. India became a cricketing powerhouse, and that remains true to this date.

India at the Olympics:

While India hasn’t been a powerhouse at the Olympics, there have been some truly remarkable moments on the grandest sporting stage that has started a revolution in the country. Our nation has had a total of 35 medals at the Olympics, divided among various disciplines including badminton, boxing, wrestling, and shooting. India had a glorious run in the initial Olympic games in the sport of field hockey. Athletes like Dhyan Chand and his legendary prowess in field hockey inspired the nation as in 1936, India clinched its first Olympic gold medal, marking the beginning of an era of dominance in the sport. This was followed by a golden hat-trick at the next three Olympics in 1948, 1952, and 1956.

Except for hockey, India struggled to find any medals for the rest of the century, only managing to obtain one individual medal (KD Jadav’s bronze in wrestling) until the end of the 20th century. Things started changing as we entered the 21st century. The 2008 Beijing Olympics was a historic event, as India clinched its first individual gold medal when Abhinav Bindra engraved his name in history in shooting. It was also the first time in over half a century that we managed to clinch multiple medals in the same Olympics.

His triumph marked a new era for Indian sports and provided a ray of hope for aspiring athletes. The stage was set for now as the upcoming Olympics would see India win multiple medals, and the athletes who brought us glory would become household names. Today, India’s newfound love for the Javelin throw is facilitated by Neeraj Chopra, who won gold in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, writing another remarkable chapter in our sporting history.

Rise of Badminton:

In the 1970s, a young shuttler started making waves in the badminton world. Winning medals and challenging world-beaters was India’s father of badminton, Prakash Padukone. He brought badminton to the forefront in India, winning coveted medals like the All England Championships and Commonwealth Games. This led to the sport being picked up by youngsters, giving rise to several other badminton stars like Syed Modi, Pullela Gopichand, and U Vimal Kumar.

As years passed, badminton strengthened even more, and finally, in 2012, we got our first Olympic medal as Saina Nehwal won the Bronze. The medal streak continued in the next two Olympics, with PV Sindhu clinching Silver and Bronze respectively on both occasions.

India recently celebrated another massive breakthrough as the Indian pair Satwik Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty achieved the World No. 1 ranking, becoming the first Indian pair to do so in badminton history. Satwik and Chirag have been a force to be reckoned with in the past couple of years, winning title after title. Not just in doubles, even the singles badminton shuttlers have also been on the rise. H S Pronnoy and Lakshya Sen are currently in the top 15 rankings in the world and have been title contenders in all the major tournaments in the past couple of years. This era is what many have been calling the golden age of Indian badminton, but our shuttlers are not done yet, and the world has yet to see the heights Indian badminton has to reach.

Athletics on Blistering Speed:

One of the great catalysts for India’s record-breaking Asian Games stint was its performance in Athletics. India garnered a total of 29 medals in the sport, out of the total of 107, making up almost 27% of the medals. Athletics has been one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, and a majority of the credit goes to the athletes who have been performing exceptionally well on the world stage in events like the Commonwealth Games and the Diamond League.

Para Athletes Shining:

In recent years, India has also seen a surge in the achievements of para-athletes. These remarkable athletes have not only overcome physical challenges but have also made the country proud on the global stage. Para shuttlers Pramod Bhagat, Sukant Kadam, and Krishna Nagar have been smashing it in the badminton world. Devendra Jhajharia, the para javelin throw athlete, has a remarkable two golds and a silver Paralympic medal in his collection. These are only a few examples, likewise, there are many more who with their dedication and excellence serve as an inspiration to all. The success of para-athletes further enriches India’s sporting legacy.

Conclusion:

The history of sports in India is a remarkable journey, from rich traditions to colonial influences, and post-independence glories. It’s a story of resilience, passion, and an unyielding spirit of competition. From ancient times to the modern era, Indian athletes have always managed to rise above challenges and make their nation proud on a global stage.

As we look ahead, there is no doubt that India’s sporting landscape will continue to evolve. With more players investing in sports, volunteering to put up infrastructure projects and donating to support athletes, the nation is poised to make its mark in even more diverse disciplines. As a land of over a billion dreams, India’s sporting history is far from being written in full, the future promises new stories, new champions, and new heights for sports in India, we just have to wait and watch.

How India is adapting Sports Culture and becoming a Global Sports Hub

In the last decade, India has witnessed a huge rise in the number of sports being played professionally and for leisure. The government has also been proactive in allocating funds to enable Indian sportspersons to showcase their talent globally. In India, sports and academics are also blending to provide younger people access to proper fitness, training, and mentoring to pursue sports professionally. Let’s take a broader look.

Sporting Events

As a nucleus for sports and sporting businesses globally, a large number of investors are now backing sports commercially. What began with the Indian Premier League to portray the fan-following cricket has always had in India, sporting events have now moved onto various other sports with leagues being established and cheered on by millions of people. Taking a note from countries like Europe, where football leagues are celebrated like festivals, India has banked on sports to generate newer avenues of revenue and, in turn, enrich the nation into becoming a sports hub.

In the last few years, the Indian sports culture has developed immensely – India has already laid the foundations for events such as the Indian Premier League (cricket), Indian Super League (football), Pro Kabaddi League (kabaddi), Premier Badminton League (badminton), and Pro Wrestling League (professional wrestling). These leagues have taken their place in the Indian calendar and are played annually with a tremendous amount of enthusiasm.

Image Source-BW Businessworld

Backed by influential people: These leagues are backed by some of the most influential people in India – from sportspersons to celebrities and the largest corporates; these leagues are sponsored with a massive amount of fanfare, thus leading to an increase in their marketing and public recognition.

Image Source- Hindustan Times

Infrastructure: India has some of the world’s best infrastructure when it comes to sports – from stadiums and grounds to even entire villages dedicated to games; there is a huge amount of support already in place to host matches and games and train people. A large number of international sports players have also commented on how great India’s infrastructural abilities are.

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Providing platforms to budding talent: The advent of these leagues has opened up spaces for a huge number of Indian professional sports players. Earlier, only a handful of Indian players had the opportunity to gain recognition globally for their skill and talent – now, with these domestic leagues, more and more players have the ability to train and interact with players of international repute and showcase their talent.
Creating more employment: Transforming into a sports cultural hub doesn’t mean that only sports players are at the forefront. The establishment of these leagues has opened up employment in vast spaces in the sporting field. From giving access to commentators, media personnel, content creators, and unskilled workers alike, India’s conversion into a global sports hub is beneficial for a huge segment of the population.
Smaller events: The advent of leagues and infusion of the importance of sports has even trickled down to smaller events being hosted – be it at a community level or a corporate level; there are many people who have begun to organize events to increase camaraderie, bonding, and motivation.

Image Source-Wellness Interactive

Sports Schools

With a large number of opportunities opening up for people to be involved in and engaged with sports, sports schools in India are also blending academics with holistic professional sports development to help students pursue their dream. Be it cricket, tennis, badminton, swimming, or any other sport, India has a large number of academics, schools, clubs, and a dedicated stream of mentors that promote learning sports.

With a huge shift in society’s mindset, today, India is a hub where a young child can dream of becoming a professional sports player and pursue it along with proper academics. The Sports School, Bangalore, is one such school that provides all-rounded academic and sporting education and training to young children. The Sports School also has tie-ups with professional mentors – for example, Robin Uthappa helps train budding cricketers or Pullela Gopichand mentors budding badminton enthusiasts.

The Sports School

Students are encouraged to train professionally while also gaining academic knowledge. Schools like this one go a long way in enabling India to become a global sports hub, right from an individual’s nascent learning stages, to helping them reach international levels. The Sports School is also a landmark in terms of influencing other schools and academies to follow suit and provide children with a blend of sporting and academic prowess.

India – The Global Sports Hub

Sports is one of the greatest binding factions of our country. Indian sportspersons have so much potential and talent; they have made substantial impacts in global sports. Today, people may have different opinions on politics, science, or business, but the one thing that breaks it all down is a sporting event. India has adapted really well into the sports culture and stands proud as an example to other nations.

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Mustafa Ghouse (born 19 August 1980) is the Chief Executive Officer of JSW Sports, the sports vertical of The JSW Group. The JSW Group owns and operates Indian Super League club Bengaluru FC and Pro-Kabaddi League team Haryana Steelers. Ghouse is also the Director at JSW Sports’ Indian Premier League franchise Delhi Capitals.

Prior to his involvement in Management of Sport, Ghouse was a professional tennis player who represented India at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea and the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, winning a bronze medal in the Men’s Doubles event at the 2002 edition with partner, Vishal Uppal.

Pullela Gopichand (born 16 November 1973) is a former Indian badminton player. Currently, he is the Chief National Coach for the India national badminton team. He won the All England Open Badminton Championships in 2001, becoming the second Indian to achieve this feat after Prakash Padukone.He runs the Gopichand Badminton Academy. He received the Arjuna Award in 1999, the Dronacharya Award in 2009 and the Padma Bhushan – India’s third highest civilian award – in 2014

Rohan Bopanna is a global doubles phenomenon, ranked as high as no. 3 in the world. He has represented India in the Olympics, Davis Cup, and Hopman Cup. Rohan won the 2017 French Open Mixed Doubles title, 16 ATP Tour doubles titles, and has consistently ranked within the top 15 in the world.

Shikha Tandon (born 20 January 1985) is an Indian former swimmer from Bangalore, India. Tandon has won 146 national medals, and 36 medals in international competitions, including five gold medals. Currently, she is a member of USADA’s science team, assisting in the daily operation, development, and maintenance of the resources, reporting, and projects critical to USADA’s scientific initiatives.

Bapu Krishnarao Venkatesh Prasad (born 5 August 1969), is a former Indian cricketer, Cricket Coach, Commentator who played Tests and ODIs. He made his debut in 1994. Primarily a right-arm medium-fast bowler, Prasad was noted for his bowling combination with Javagal Srinath.

He is the bowling coach for Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League, having formerly performed the same role for the Indian cricket team from 2007 to 2009.

He currently serves as Deputy General Manager for Canara Bank.

Vickram Kanth (born 11 April 1987) is an Indian field hockey player who plays as a defender. He was part of the Indian team that won gold at the 2007 Men’s Hockey Asia Cup, as well as the teams that won bronze at the 2007 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and silver at the 2008 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.

Dr. Vivek Jawali is Chief Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgeon and as a Chairman, he heads the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences at Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore. Dr. Jawali has also been nominated as a council member to the newly constituted Medical Council of India (MCI), the premier statutory body that governs the standards of medical education and recognition of medical qualifications in the country. He is also on the MCI’s academic council.

He is a pioneer in minimally invasive cardiac surgery in India and has performed over 18,000 cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgeries till date. He performed India’s first beating heart bypass surgery in 1992 and performed India’s first minimally invasive bypass surgery(MIDCAB)in Sept 1994. Dr. Jawali did India’s first Awake Cardiac surgery (Surgery without GA or ventilator, done under continuous high thoracic epidural) in June 1999. He also performed world’s 1st awake open heart surgery (a 74 yrs patient underwent triple bypass with aortic valve replacement without G.A. or a ventilator) in April 2002.

Dr. Jawali was the president of the Indian Association of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons (IACTS) in 2008. He is the founder member of the International Society of Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgeons (ISMICS) and is the only Indian on the editorial board of its journal – Innovations in Cardiac Surgery. He is also the council member of the Asian Association of Cardiothoracic Surgeons. He has been the Vice President of the Indian College of Cardiology. He is on the editorial board of the journal of Indian Association of Cardiothoracic Surgeons (IACTS), journal of Cardiac Anaesthesia, CTSNET (a comprehensive global website of cardiac surgeons around the world).

Srinivas is the Co-Founder at The Sports School. He is also the founding partner at o3 Capital and co-heads the investment banking division. Srinivas has more than 19 years of investment banking experience and has been instrumental in development of o3 Capital’s investment banking practice.

Prior to o3 Capital, Srinivas was with TAIB Bank – Bahrain, where he focused on setting up their investment banking practice in India. Srinivas holds an M.Com degree from Bangalore University and is a CFA from ICFAI, Hyderabad.

Dr. Chenraj Roychand is the Founder Chairman of JGI Group. A visionary leader, educationist, social entrepreneur, and angel investor, he has been promoting the educational and entrepreneurship sectors in India for more than two decades. Dr. Chenraj Roychand incepted JGI Group in 1990 with the aim of providing quality educational and entrepreneurial opportunities to the masses.

Dr. Sankar UV is the Director of The Sports School and has worked as a Sports Director in one of the leading Universities- Jain University.

He began his over 25 years long career with a stint in Sainik School in Bijapur, where he spent his formative years in an atmosphere charged with the duty, dedication, and physical perseverance. These formative years stood with him in good stead, during his PUC (XI and XIIth Std) at KCP Science College, Bijapur, through a BA Degree at St. Joseph’s Arts and Science College, Bangalore. Always a fitness enthusiast, Dr. Sankar UV focussed his attention towards a Bachelor’s Degree followed by a Masters in Physical Education at Rama Krishna Vidyalay, Maruthi College of Physical Education, Coimbatore in the year 1991 to 1993. He acquired a Diploma in Athletics from Nethaji Subhaschandra National Institute of Sports (NSNIS), South Centre, Bangalore, in 1994.

Dr. Sankar UV joined Sri Baghwan Mahaveer Jain College (SBMJC) in 1995 with all the determination of a dedicated teacher and endurance of a marathon runner to set his vision of molding students in high achievers.

A simple glance at the row of accomplishments of his students is enough proof of his impact on his students. The list below is a narration of the achievements of his proteges at the National Level in sports like Cricket, Basketball, Swimming, Hockey, Badminton, Tennis, Shooting, Volleyball, to name a few. Olympians like Gagan Ullalmath, Sharath Gayekwad appears at the beginning of the endless list, followed by stars like Rehaan Poncha, Varun Aaron, Adithya Prakash, Khalin Joshi, Rakesh Manpath, Prakash Jolly, Surabhi Tipre, Karun Nayar, Shankar Patil, Abrar Kazi, H S Sharath, Aaron D’Souza, K.L.Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Poorvisha Ram, Jacquelina Rose Kunnath, Fariha Zaman, Diya, Shreya Gopal, Poorva Kiran Shetye, Trishul Chinnappa, K.V. Siddharth, Samarth Ravikumar. Other names include stars like Pankaj Advani, Robin Uthappa, Shikha Tandon, Anup Shridhar, Sheetal Gautam, Rohan Bopanna, Hari Prasad, Rohith Havaldar, Kaushal, Ravikumar, Manish Pandey, Ajay R.M., Sanjay Raj, Gautam Dhiman, Asha Nandakumar, Anit Verma, Abhishek Bakshmi, Bharath B Raj, Aswini Jayram, etc.

His belief is to impart training and mentorship of the highest standards to build confidence, while also enabling and empowering each sportsperson to achieve higher degrees of mental and physical composure. He supports and encourages athletes that want to pursue their training without letting go of their education.

With over 40 years of experience in Industrial and Project Management, Gopal Anand is known as a turnaround specialist. He is the Indian Representative of DCD London and Mutual PLC, specialized in Trade finance and Properties. He was the Project and Regional Manager of the largest Diary Project “Operations Flood” which led India to be self-sufficient and become the world’s largest milk producer and exporter.

Anand has graduated in Bsc (Hons) Mathematics from Delhi University and received an MBA from XLRI, Jamshedpur.

Mr. Mahadeva.T, is an Engineering Graduate having over 25 years of industry experience in project management of software and infrastructure development companies. During Initial stages of his career, he has worked in Software Companies in India and United States. Since, year 2000, he has been associated with ‘Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise Ltd’, in the execution of the prestigious ‘Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project’.

Presently, he is the Vice-President of the Company in-charge of acquisition, managing, development of lands and infrastructural facilities, and a key strategist for improvement of Toll Management System. He is also a Board member in many other notable Infrastructure Projects and Project Management Firms.

With over 18+ years of experience in investment banking and agri business, Priyatham leads the business diversification initiatives of Sam Agri Group while handling finance and international marketing.

Priyatham completed his graduation from BITS Pilani and his masters from IIM-B.

Mr. KR Choudary is a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India with strong expertise in Project Consultancy and management Consultancy. He commenced his career with his own firm M/s. KR Choudary & Co, Chartered Accountants and has a rich experience of more than 20 years.

During his career, he has handled various assignments which include statutory audits of large PSUs, statutory and internal audits of Public & Private limited companies engaged in various field from manufacturing to chit funds, as well as Management Audits. He is a specialist in project financing with several successful fund raising cases under his belt.

He is an active member of FKCCI (Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and sits on the Committee on Corporate Affairs & CSR.

Meena N is a Director at The Sports School. She also serves on the board of Inventus Financials Pvt Ltd, a boutique financial advisory firm. She is a a post graduate in commerce from Bangalore University and has over 10 years of teaching experience.

A renowned Professor of Electronics with a passion for academic and student development and history of success in developing effective strategies to overreach curriculum goals. 21 years of teaching experience has established him as an accomplished teacher, excellent guide and effective leader. Presently, working in conjunction with professionals, paraprofessionals, management and administrative staff to enrich and maintain high reaching standards at The Sports School – a perfect place to nurture talents of sports and pursue academic goals.

Prof. A.S Venkatesan has authored a text book named “A Text Book of Electronics for II PUC.” He has designed and developed curriculum based online video classes for II PUC students in Electronics, in collaboration with makemelearn.com.

Masters in Mathematics from Annamalai University & bachelors in Education from Ranchi University, Ms.Jayapriya is pursuing MSc (Statistics) currently. She is ranked 41 nationally in Mathematics in the Teacher’s Olympiad (2018) and received the best National Mathematics teacher’s award in 2017 from Indian Didactics Association. She has acquired the Marker’s accreditation from Cambridge. She is an executive committee member for the Association of Mathematics Teachers of India. She has presented papers in the National Conferences of NCERT. She has been associated with the JGi group for the past 10 years.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Reshma Maruri

Former India Number 1 – U16 & U18 girls

I am Reshma Maruri and I am doing my 2nd year BBA in The Sports School. I was ranked number 1 in the AITA Indian National rankings among the under-16 and under-18 girl’s categories. Before coming to The Sports School, I had to travel to different places for tennis training, fitness, physio, and school and this was very time-consuming. After joining the BBA course here, everything we require for competition training is easily accessible and neatly coordinated as all the facilities are made available in one place. We have world-class facilities and a well-equipped gym and also the teachers here are very supportive in helping us balance both sports and academics. I am able to perform well in both education and competition because of the well-designed sports ecosystem at TSS

R. Ananth is a veteran in Indian Domestic Cricket with a rich experience of more than three decades. He played an important role in bringing Ranji trophy back to Karnataka in the year 1995-96. He was also part of the team who went on to defend the Irani trophy in 1996-97. In 1996, he wrecked Hansie Cronje’s visiting South African team at Kochi, by taking six wickets.

Since retirement, he is a level 2 certified coach by National Cricket Academy (NCA), with a specialization in spin bowling. He regularly coached the spin department at zonal camps conducted by NCA. He has also been a selector for Karnataka State Cricket Association for the age groups U16 and U19 till 2001. Between 2001 – 2004 he was promoted to the Senior Selection committee and then in 2008 to the selection committee of Ranji team in Karnataka till 2010. During this period, cricketers like Manish Pandey, Abhimanyu Mithun, S Arvind, Stuart Binny, and Robin Uthappa made their entry into first class cricket.

He worked as Asst. Director in Karnataka State Cricket Academy from 2009 to 2014 and was responsible for setting up Zonal Cricket Academies in Karnataka and also conducted coach’s education program in zonal centres.

An ITF Level 3 coach and AITA Coaches Education Tutor, Balu has over 29 years of coaching experience, and has worked with several of India’s top players including Prajnesh Gunesawaran, Sriram Balaji, Vishnuvardhan etc. He is also the former National Doubles Champion in 1993.

Overlooking the Grassroots and Youth Development programs at Bengaluru FC Head of Coaching – FC Utrecht Academy Phase Coach and Head of Individual Player Development – Arsenal First team assistant and opponent analyst – VFL Wolfsburg Head of youth education – Willem II.

Coach Brhamastafany Dhanu Utomo, who hails from Indonesia, is a BWF Certified Level 1 Badminton Coach. He has coached various National & International Laurels. Dhanu has been a Former Coach at Badminton Association of Malaysia. He has also been a former Sparring Partner for Indian National Badminton Team. As a player, he has been finalists at various tournaments in Malaysia. Currently he is coaching at Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy and has joined The Sports School as Head Badminton Coach.

Suhitha Maruri

2nd PUC at The Sports School

Hi, I am Suhitha Maruri. I am currently ranked number 2 in the AITA U18 girl’s National rankings. I am pursuing my 2nd PUC at the Sports School. My ambition here is to prepare to play all the grand slams and represent India in the Olympics. After joining, all the facilities needed like yoga, gym, physio, and training center are very accessible and nearby. This makes it very convenient for us to train consistently. With a lot of tournaments to play, it is a challenge to balance studies and tennis. However, the teachers here are supportive and coordinate with our calendar. This helps me balance my academics equally well.

Footballer at TSS

I am studying with The Sports School since October 2020. The academics are conducted very effectively by TSS teachers. My football coaching classes conducted by highly experienced coaches from Bengaluru FC. I thank all my teachers and coaches for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this fantastic program at The Sports School and helping me get to the next level.

Nirmanyu Singh

I have been studying with The Sports School since October 2020. The academics are conducted very effectively by TSS teachers. My football coaching classes are conducted by highly experienced coaches from Bengaluru FC. I thank all my teachers and coaches for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this fantastic program at The Sports School and helping me get to the next level.

Sports in India Essay

Introduction.

When the Cricket World Cup is broadcasted on television, there would be millions of eyes eagerly watching it and praying for India to win. Likewise, we host and participate in many sports and games, wherein some of which we shine, and in others, we face defeat. Nevertheless, sports have been an essential part of our lives and this sports in India essay will discuss the issues centring it.

Even though India places great importance on the field of sports, we do not see much progress in the area. We have many gifted batters, hockey players, shooters and athletes, and yet we fail to bring in gold medals or cups during tournaments. The essay on sports in India will throw light on this aspect. As children will become aware of different sports and games through this sports in India essay in English, they can also write about my favourite game .

Importance of Sports in India

In this sports in India essay, we will see how sports build a feeling of nationalism and togetherness in people. Since ancient times, sports have had a special place in Indian culture and history. Earlier, cricket and polo were considered a sport of royalty, and they played them for entertainment and physical fitness.

While India followed the popularity of Cricket, Football and Hockey, it also gave equal importance to indigenous games like Kabaddi , Kho-Kho, martial arts etc. Whenever a national or international tournament is held, people watch in awe and listen eagerly to whether we have won it. In such instances, we see that all of them come together to cheer for our team. The essay on sports in India also emphasises how sports have inspired the youth to engage in physical activities and taught them essential values like teamwork , discipline, and sportsmanship.

Sports in India

Although we have reached the international level, it is disturbing to note that we have not been able to make a significant impact on the field. We will analyse the reasons behind this in the sports in India essay in English. Our country has an abundance of talented athletes and sportspeople, but we do not have sufficient financial resources to train and support them. Most of them do not see the victory stand due to a lack of proper infrastructure or advanced training facilities.

Besides, sports have been largely affected by political intervention as athletes and players are chosen based on influence rather than their skill, because of which the talented players from villages are often neglected. The sports in India essay explains that if we give ample facilities to them and encourage them to participate in sports competitions, we can bring them to the forefront of sports and thus improve the condition of sports in India.

Frequently Asked Questions on Sports in India Essay

Can you name some of india’s notable sports icons.

In every sport, there is at least one notable personality. We have the chess champion, Viswanathan Anand, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, hockey player Major Dhyan Chand, and tennis icon Mahesh Bhupathi.

Should we encourage children to take up sports?

Parents often think that sports are not an ideal career option for children. But we must encourage them to participate by supporting and playing and watching their favourite sport with them, as the sports activities can help in the overall development of their mind and body.

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Nation at Play: A History of Sport in India

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Reaching as far back as ancient times, Ronojoy Sen pairs a novel history of India’s engagement with sport and a probing analysis of its cultural and political development under monarchy and colonialism, and as an independent nation. Some sports that originated in India have fallen out of favor, while others, such as cricket, have been adopted and made wholly India’s own. Sen’s innovative project casts sport less as a natural expression of human competition than as an instructive practice reflecting a unique play with power, morality, aesthetics, identity, and money. Sen follows the transformation of sport from an elite, kingly pastime to a national obsession tied to colonialism, nationalism, and free market liberalization. He pays special attention to two modern phenomena: the dominance of cricket in the Indian consciousness and the chronic failure of a billion-strong nation to compete successfully in international sporting competitions, such as the Olympics. Innovatively incorporating examples from popular media and other unconventional sources, Sen not only captures the political nature of sport in India but also reveals the patterns of patronage, clientage, and institutionalization that have bound this diverse nation together for centuries.

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Analyse the importance of reviving the sports culture in India at the grass-root level by building a strong framework for all sports.

Topic : Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

5. Analyse the importance of reviving the sports culture in India at the grass-root level by building a strong framework for all sports. (250 words)

Reference: pib.gov.in

Why the question: The article talks about identifying grass root talent and strengthening sports infrastructure, Sports Minister recently urged states to host annual Khelo India Games to strengthen grassroots-level talent identification. Key Demand of the question: One must present a detailed analysis of the importance of reviving the sports culture in India at the grass-root level by building a strong framework for all sports. Directive: Analyze – When asked to analyse, you have to examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them as a whole in a summary. Structure of the answer: Introduction: Highlight the present Sports culture in India in brief. Body: Discuss how sports culture in India has evolved from nothing to something where efforts to recognise talent is being made, To make India a sporting superpower, we need to identify talent as young as 5-10 years old and groom them to be future champions. Discuss the efforts of government in this direction, quote the programs such as Khelo India etc. Present the concerns and challenges associated, suggest solutions. Conclusion: Conclude with need and importance of identifying the talent from the grassroots.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Adventure Sports — Development Of The Sports League Culture In India

Development of The Sports League Culture in India

Categories: Adventure Sports India

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Words: 1583 |

Published: Apr 15, 2020

Words: 1583 | Pages: 3 | 8 min read

Growth of a Sunrise Industryby Joy Bhattacharjya

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Essay on Sports Culture in India: Why India lagging in Sports Culture

Essay on sports culture in india.

Our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi called on the youth to consider a career in sports. He encouraged the youths of the country to foster a sports culture in the country.

Despite sport being an integral part of human personality development and entertainment, India has very little to show as achievement in international sports. Till now India has had a very few big names in international sports except in some sports like cricket and wrestling.

India in recent sport events

India’s medal tally in 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Para-Olympic are 7 and 19 with 48th and 22nd Rank respectively which is the most decorated Olympic Games in Indian history. India ranks second in list of most populated countries of the world but when we talk about metals in Olympics it won only a total of 35 medals since 1900 to Tokyo Olympics 2020 . Though India has a large youth population but there is a poor performance in the Olympics and other International games.

In the recent Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 , India secured 4th rank with a total of 61 medals. When more than 50 percent of India’s population is below the age of 30 years, a little more efforts and encouragement can bring more laurels in India’s bag.

Why India lagging in Sports Culture

There are various reasons behind India’s poor sport culture some of them are as under:

Lack of Sport Infrastructure and World level Training & funds
Lack of Sport Sprit, Social support and encouragement
Indian society don’t consider sports as career options
Poor competitive environment for the Sports
Lack of encouragement for sports on the elementary school level

Lack of Sports infrastructure & World level Training & funds

In India there is poor infrastructure for sports which is a big hindrance in progress sports. For example; Swimming players need a swimming pool but there are very few world-level swimming pools where players can practice swimming. India spends less than one percent of its GDP on sports. Due to shortage of funds, there is a constant struggle to get sports equipment, medical support, and other types of financial support. Also there is a poor sport system to develop sport skill. Lack of world-level trainers and coaches are other important reason behind India’s lagging in sports. For example, Neeraj Chopra’s Coach is a foreign Citizen, no other javelin player can get the same facilities as they are not famous yet.

Lack of Sports Spirit, Social support, encouragement

Except some games like cricket there is hardly any social support for other sports like archery, swimming, discus throw, weight lifting, kabaddi, etc. On the State level or even on the National level players and games hardly have an audience. Players of most games do not get the audience that they deserve. Audience and recognition boost the morale of players, a sport person who feels appreciated will always do more than expected.

Indian society doesn’t consider sports as career options

We all are familiar with the saying that “Padhoge Likhoge Banoge Nawab, Kheloge Khudoge Banoge Kharab” means to lead a good life study is important but Playing Games is just an entertainment and consider as a leisure activity. The harsh reality is not different from the above-mentioned quote: many national-level players are struggling to meet both ends and accepting some not-so-glorified jobs. Except for athletes who excel at the national or International level and become famous, others leave sports early due to the absence of career opportunities.

Also Read: Essay on Commonwealth Games 2022

Lack of encouragement for sports at the elementary school level

Haryana is Called the sports capital of India because Haryana has an established culture of sport on Grass root level. But in other states, sports and physical education are seen as extracurricular activity. Children are encouraged to devote the majority of their time on studies and sports are treated as an activity not to be taken seriously.

The poor competitive environment for the Sports

Poor Bench strength development for competitiveness, we know we have very few names in most of the sports except cricket. There is no player whom one considers a role model and this culture develops Poor Bench strength development for competitiveness.

Also Read: Download 50 PDF Essays for All Exams: Click Here

Initiative of Government to Promote Sports Culture

Government of India is constantly working to increase the Sports spirit and Culture in India. The Ministry of Sports in Sep 2014 launched the Target Olympic Podium Scheme famously known as TOPS to improve India’s Performance in the Paralympic and Olympics. Under the scheme, extra monetary assistance and training from the national and international coaches will be provided to the players.

The Government has also launched some national Level Sports Competitions like Khelo India Programme which is a national-level event organized by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) every Year. The programme has been introduced to revive the sports culture in India at the grass-root level. For this purpose a strong framework for all sports played in our country has been prepared which aims to establish India as a great sporting nation.

Under the programme, talented players are identified in priority sports disciplines at various levels by the High-Powered Committee. They will also be provided annual financial assistance of Rs.5 lakh per annum for 8 years.

Another Important National level sports Competition organized by Government of India is the National Games of India. In the National Games of India, Athletes from all States of India participate and perform. With time Society is also changing the famous Slogan “Padhoge Likhoge Banoge Nawab, Kheloge Khudoge Banoge Kharab” is now “Khelo Khudogo Banoge Lajavab”.

Also Read: Essay on My Vision for India 2047

Sports Culture: Way Forward

Sports is an integral part of Soft power as political Scientist Joseph Nye Jr Said “Power is an attraction through culture, political ideas, and policies rather than coercion” that military hard power exhibits. So, sports are just not an integral part of human personality development and entertainment but they are more than this. All types of sports deserve State’s and Public’s appreciation, participation, respect, importance, and attention. It’s time we encourage and inspire young talent of the country and give them top-notch infrastructure and training of the highest level to make India a sport super power.

Hope you liked this essay on Sports Culture in India and it helped you in your exam preparation. Keep vision selfstudymantra.com to get more essays on trending topics.

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The Importance of Sports in Education and India’s Adaptation to the Sports Culture

Sports have been an integral part of the world culture dating back as far as ancient civilizations. The most eminent example of sports culture and society, the Olympic Games are more than 3,000 years old. Sports have always had an extraordinary impact on society, culture, economy, and every other facet of a nation. For those engaged in sports, sports are the epitome of diligence, hard work, and dedication. The popularity of sports culture can be determined by the fan base football and cricket enjoy worldwide. Sports help people maintain the best of their physical, mental and psychological health. Owing to the widespread popularity of the internet and television, people consume sports on a massive scale. The celebrity status of top sportspersons validates the importance associated with sporting events.

Sports and academic life

Schools and colleges are the setups where young minds spend a significant amount of their time. During these formative years, the focus should be on the overall development of a child. Sports, education, and health share an elemental link, and together they contribute significantly to the holistic development of a child. Every school and college has sports as part of their curriculum, as they understand the significance of physical health and activities. We live in times where sports are not seen just as a hobby but a way to achieve a healthy body and mind, making them an essential part of education. Now education is not anymore solely limited to academics; sports have become an integral part of it.

The changing dynamics of sports culture in India

A good sports culture is an index to measure a nation’s growth and progress. The medals and trophies earned by players at globally recognized sporting events bring glory and honor to the country. India has an ancient and rich culture of traditional sports. During the pre-independence period, sports culture in India could not bloom due to the challenges related to economic and social reforms, but later the country borrowed modern sports like cricket, badminton, tennis, volleyball, etc. from the outside. Over time sports earned the interest of people. The popularity and respect of individuals associated with sports kept on rising. People went on to even claim cricket as a religion in India. India was no longer taking baby steps at this point and managed to win significant world tournaments of sports. The 1983 Cricket World Cup won by India’s national cricket team became a historic event for the country. India, as a country, produced sportspersons who went on to become masters and world champions of sports they were associated with.

Opportunities in sports

There is a broad spectrum of professional opportunities that sports as an industry offers. In addition to a sportsperson, one can become a trainer, sports coach, athletic director, marketing and promotion coordinator, PR, physical therapist, sports and fitness nutritionist, sports journalist, sports announcer, sports agent, umpire, referee, sports photographer, a sports lawyer, etc. There are professional courses and dedicated educational institutions to serve the individuals aspiring to make a career in the sports industry.

The role of the Indian Government

The Indian Government recognized the importance of sports and formed the National Sports Policy in 1984, aiming to make sports and physical education an essential part of the academic curriculum. The revised National Sports Policy, 2011, advocates the importance of sports and physical education in developing better individuals, enhancing productivity, and bringing social harmony. Through the initiative ‘Khelo India Youth Games’ under the ‘Khelo India’ program, the government aims to support the development of sports culture at the grassroots level. Also, there are National Sports Awards dedicated to acknowledging the contribution and efforts of sportspersons. The popular awards are Arjuna Award, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Dronacharya Award, Dhyan Chand Award, and Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar.

The role of a school

A child needs to engage in sports as it offers holistic development and positive personality traits. A school is a place that helps children discover their interests, inclination, and strengths. Thus, it becomes vital to choose a school that offers good sports infrastructure and encourages students to engage in sports. The teachers also play a significant role in helping kids identifying their favorite sports and then mastering them. Through sports, a school inculcates qualities such as leadership, dispute management, team-building, healthy competition, and discipline in the students.

Sports Education is a significant part of the curriculum offered at JIRS. Considered as one of the best international sports schools in India, JIRS strongly believes that academic success and sports together form a strong foundation that helps students become talented and smart individuals. The expert faculty and seasoned sports trainer at JIRS have created a flexible school environment and support system for providing exceptional sports training and education .

“Sports serve society by providing vivid examples of excellence.” - George F. Will

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Indigenous Sports of India: Connecting Past to the Present

Megha Jacob Jesus and Mary College, Delhi University
Brij Nandini Jesus and Mary College
Niytanshi Sharma Jesus and Mary College

Historically, sports was merely seen as a recreational or leisure activity (Mandell, 1984). However, in recent centuries sports became a global, social and an economic activity (Mylik, 2014). Since the beginning of the twentieth century, sports industry has been growing at a fast pace (Forster & Pope, 2004). Today, sports is recognised as a soft power as it’s a global medium to improve diplomatic relations and to promote peace and prosperity (Beutler, 2008). Many indigenous and traditional sports are mentioned in several historic scriptures of India. Several local games have been practiced over centuries in India (Haque & Ghosh, 2014). Traditional and indigenous sports have served the purpose of channelizing youth's energy into constructive areas. Indigenous sports create a strong sense of belonging among the youth that can improve the well-being of tribal and backward communities (Rossi, 2015). It’s in this context that this study examines the scope of indigenous sports industry in India. It’s a remarkable achievement that many of India's indigenous sports have stood the test of time and continue to attract the youth even today. The development of such sports not only benefits the youth who participate in them, but also the Indian economy. Creation and utilization of sports infrastructure, employment generation and hosting sports events have positive economic impact on the long-term development of India. Hence, this study analysis in-depth about the various indigenous sports and their spread in India. It bridges the gap of lack of literature on indigenous sports in India.

Author Biographies

Megha jacob, jesus and mary college, delhi university.

Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi.

Ms. Megha Jacob is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi. She is currently Pursuing her Ph.D. in Economics from the TERI School of Advanced Studies, Delhi. Her areas of specialisation are Development & Health Economics, Public Finance, Macroeconomics and Environmental Economics. Her research interests include the Economics of Health, Education, Gender, climate change , MSMEs and Local Governance.

She is the recipient of the SAARC Education Award for her outstanding contribution in the areas of Environmental Education. She has worked on several Indian Government Funded Projects for NHRC, Ministry of Labour, NIEPA, Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, CSO, Government Of India. She was a co-investigator in the first study of India on Human Rights of Transgender sponsored by NHRC for the Government of India. Her International Publications include a book which is being referred in the library of Deakin University, Australia which is titled ,“ Local Governments and Public Health Delivery System in Kerala: Lessons of Collaborative Governance ” published by Cambridge Scholars Press, London. She’s has also written several research papers in different UGC-Care listed and peer-reviewed journals. She also has an e-lesson published for the International Council of Sciences and the World Bank on “Shadow Prices and Market Prices”.

Brij Nandini , Jesus and Mary College

Research Student, Department of Economics, Jesus and Mary college, University of Delhi.

Niytanshi Sharma, Jesus and Mary College

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Reinvigorating Sports in Rural Areas

The recent success of India at the Olympics is a commendable achievement – with many firsts added to the kitty. The athletes from rural India remain the heroes of this success. Many of these sports find their roots in the ancient Indian tradition of sports. In recent times, the Government of India and State governments have taken multiple initiatives to groom athletes for professional sports. However, there is a long way before India emerges as a sporting nation in its truest sense. Sports have to be a part of a child's growing up. The National Education Policy 2020 offers a window of opportunity to integrate sports as a non-alienable part of the curriculum in schools and colleges. The network of schools and colleges makes a perfect platform to scale sports to reach each household. The essay argues that with an initiative like One State One Sport, both – scale and future champions can be created.

Introduction:

Tokyo Olympics has been historic for India – an event that will be cherished forever. Many ‘firsts’ were achieved, and medal droughts ended – India bagged its highest ever medals (7), Neeraj Chopra brought India its first athletics gold in men's javelin; India ended a 41-year medal drought in hockey by winning a bronze. While Meera Bai Chanu lifted a billion Indian hopes with a silver medal at the Olympics, she also gave India's first-ever opening day medal at the Olympics. Ravi Dahiya, Bajrang Punia, and Lovlina Borgohain wrestled and boxed out to win a silver and two bronzes at India's most decorated Olympics. A common thread that binds these athletes – apart from their spirit of excellence and service to the nation – is their rural background. It's a testimony to the fact that rural India has been a powerhouse of extraordinary talent. Rural India is abundant with sports and games which are local and unique in each state. These games and sports have served multiple purposes – keeping people fit, maintaining harmony, channelizing the youth's energy in constructive areas, keeping them away from substance abuse, and pulling the youth out of poverty among many other benefits. The Government of India, in recent years, has taken several initiatives such as Khelo India, TOPS Scheme, etc to build India as a sporting nation with a great amount of emphasis in the rural areas. While these initiatives are commendable, there is a long way to go in creating a bustling sports culture in India – rural and urban both. In this essay, we explore the trajectory of sports in India (with a focus on rural sports and rural India), the intrinsic and extrinsic values of sports, pathbreaking reforms taken by states and the central government, linkages between education and sports in the light of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and suggest few measures to reinvigorate and institutionalize rural sports through policy measures.

Rural Sports in India: Ancient to Modern

Sports have always been a part of the common life in India for ages. There are several pieces of evidence of the existence of vibrant sports activities in India. Our epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata are full of incidences of sports such as archery, wrestling, horse-riding, chariot-racing, etc. For instance, wrestling has been a highly popular sport even during the times of Mahabharata. Known as Malla-yuddha, it saw participation from legendary characters such as Bhima, Balram, and Jarasandha – who have been mentioned as the greatest wrestlers in the epic. Today, India is known as a powerhouse in wrestling with several outstanding accolades gained at the international fora – the commonwealth games, the world championships, and the Olympics.

One of the greatest things to have happened in the wrestling world is the evolution and growth of female wrestling. This one development has dismantled the concept of females as the fairer sex --often used to denote the fragility and physical weakness of women -- and challenged the gender role and occupation for women. The young girls and women from rural India have role models --who are like them, come from similar backgrounds, and overcame challenges to succeed. The legend of the Phogat sisters has changed the outlook of patriarchs, many have become champions of gender equality and promote girls in sports. It is no surprise that a new generation of female sports wrestlers like Sakshi Mallik (the first Indian female wrestler to win a medal at the Olympics) have come up, performing exceedingly well at the national and international forums. From ancient times till date, wrestling continues to enthrall the youth and has emerged as one of India's strongholds in modern sports times.

It’s a great achievement that many of these sports still survive and thrive in India. Some of the other early rural sports which have withstood the tide of time and continue to attract youth from rural areas have been discussed in the following section.

a. Mallakhamb: The Ultra-Gymnastics

Mallakhamb is an ancient Indian version of Gymnastics where a gymnast performs aerial yoga and gymnastic posture atop or with a standing pole. The sport is hugely popular in rural pockets of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra and requires immense stamina, practice, and discipline to perform. One of the earliest written descriptions of Mallakhamb can be located in the memoirs of the Chinese traveller Huen-Tsang dating seventh century CE. He recognizes Prayagraj as a site where Hindu ascetics used to climb poles as a yogic exercise. He states that Hindu ascetics climbed the top of a pole situated at Prayagraj clinging onto it with one hand and one foot while other hand and foot stretched out in the air and watched the sunset with their heads turned right as it set which indicates a solar rite . In modern times, the sport of Mallakhamb was formally institutionalized in the year 1958 when it was introduced as a sport in the National Gymnastics Championship followed by the first National Mallakhamb Championship in 1962 at Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. From there on the sports has grown in its reach and appeal so much so that the State Government of Madhya Pradesh declared Mallakhamb as the State sports in 2013. The Mallakhamb World Championship 2019 held in Mumbai attracted participants from 15 countries such as the USA, England, Germany, France, Japan, Singapore, Italy amongst others. Such is the popularity of Mallakhamb that top performers from India were to perform Mallakhamb at the Tokyo Olympics but couldn't do so because of restricted guidelines; it was performed in the Olympics for the first time in the year 1936.

b. Kalaripayattu: The Ancient Indian Martial Arts

Kalaripayattu, or simply Kalari, is an ancient Indian martial arts form that can be traced back to the Sangam period in southern India. A scientific sport, it requires great mind-body coordination and agility using kicks and swings while attacking and protecting with spears, shields, or swords, etc. It's a martial arts training used to prepare warriors in ancient times. But today it's practiced as a competitive sport and attracts youth mainly from Kerala. It follows a guru-shishya parampara where students (shishya) train under a master (guru) in training centers (called Kalari). Till 1936, the Kalari training continued as an oral instruction (vaytharis), and then it was codified in written form as a book and descriptive writings followed at scale by 1953 leading to the popularisation of the sports. The Kerala Government has established the Kalaripayattu Academy in 2021 which will offer training of Kalari in a formalized way through a dedicated syllabus that has been crafted for the purpose.

c. Qila Raipur Sports Festival: India's Rural Olympics

Qila Raipur Sports Festival, India's Rural Olympics, is an annual sporting event that promotes local rural sports of Punjab through competitions in the district of Ludhiana, Punjab. The brainchild of Inderjeet Singh Grewal, Qila Raipur Sports Festival was first held in 1933 to bring together people and promote harmony through sports. The sports festival brings a right unique mix of professional sports as well as rural sports played for mere pleasure. The athletic events include shot put, hockey, kabaddi, track races. The other games include tug of war, horse races, horse acrobatics, etc. The festival aims at giving a platform for the budding talent in professional games as well as creating a sporting culture in the area. The festival is tied to the culture of the area – folk songs, bhangra, local food -- which are on full display during the event. It acts as a unifying element and keeps people closer to their roots. These instrumental values of sports are intangible and often get lesser recognition in the noise of professional sports.

In addition to the ancient Indian games, modern India has seen the rise of Indian players at the global level in several other professional sports predominantly played in the rural parts of the country – be it kabaddi or hockey, or archery. There are several outstanding initiatives taken by various State Governments and the Government of India to nurture the sporting talent in rural India as discussed further.

Initiatives to Strengthen Sports in Rural Areas: A Pulse Check

The Government of India (GOI) took a historic step by starting a targeted scheme to achieve top results in the Olympics games. The Target Olympic Podium Scheme or TOPS was launched in 2014 under the aegis of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), GOI to provide financial assistance and other help to athletes in their pursuit of medals in the Olympics and other international sporting events. Sports such as Archery, Badminton, Boxing, Hockey, Shooting, and Wrestling have been recognized as 'high priority' schemes under the scheme.

The top-performing athletes are selected by a committee who are then provided customized training with top coaches at modern and well-equipped sports facilities and institutions. The contribution of the TOPS scheme in the medal tally in the international forum has been nothing less than big success. The Rio 2016 Olympics saw TOPs awardees P V Sindhu and Sakshi Malik clinching silver and bronze respectively for India. The paralympians covered under TOPS won four medals at Rio including two gold medals. The TOPS scheme’s impact was best to be seen at the 2018 commonwealth games where 47 out of the 70 medals won by India were bagged by TOPS awardee athletes.

The Tokyo Olympics has been the greatest Olympics for India in terms of the medals secured. Believe it or not, all the athletes including the paralympians were covered under the TOPS scheme. In addition to best coaching and equipment, each athlete was provided with INR 50,000 monthly out-of-pocket expenditure which could be spent on their diet or training or any other way the athlete desires. The Government of India went the extra mile to support its contingent of paralympians. Avani Lekhara, the double medalist, was provided with a computerized digital target and an expensive air rifle to practice at home while Bhavina Patel, the silver medalist, was equipped with an Ottobock Wheelchair and a Table Tennis robot called Butterfly- Amicus Prime. No wonder, the 47 members Paralympic contingent converted the opportunity provided under the TOPS scheme into golds, silvers, and bronzes – a total of 19 medals for India at the Tokyo Olympics.

While the TOPS scheme aimed at polishing existing talent for higher results, the Government of India has designed a future-looking scheme to develop a pool of talent from the remotest part of the country through the Khelo India Scheme. Aimed at mainstreaming sports as a tool for national development, economic development, community development, and individual development, the Khelo India scheme was launched in 2018 with 12 verticals.

Under the Khelo India Scheme, talent search has been started at the grassroots level in two categories: a) Sports potential talent identification and b) Proven talent identification. A zonal approach has been taken by the government in the identification of talent. Grassroot Zonal Talent Identification committees have been formed to scour the remotest part of the country for spotting talent across 20 disciplines in the age group 8 to 14 years, wherein the country has the potential /advantage to excel at the international level.

Under the 'Talent Search and Development' vertical of the Khelo India Scheme, Khelo India Athletes identified and selected under the scheme are provided annual financial assistance of ₹ 6.28 lakh per athlete per annum which includes ₹ 1.20 lakh per annum as Out of Pocket Allowance and ₹ 5.08 lakh for other facilities like coaching, sports science support, diet, equipment, consumables, insurance charges, etc. Further, each Khelo India Centre notified under the Scheme at district levels in various States/Union Territories are eligible to receive ₹ 5 lakh per discipline as a one-time grant and ₹ 5 lakh per discipline as a recurring grant .

Under the scheme, Khelo India Games are organized to provide a platform to the budding talent at the school and university level. Till now, three such games have already been organized and the fourth one is going to be held in Haryana. Seeing the initial impact of the scheme, the Government of India has furnished an Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) memorandum to expand the scheme from 2021-22 to 2025-26 with an estimated budget of 8750 crores. While the central government has taken a reform trajectory to transform India into a sporting nation, the role played by the States is equally important to nurture a sports culture.

Case Study: Haryana – The Incubator of SportStars from Rural India

In the recently completed Tokyo Olympics, Haryana sent the maximum Olympians in the Indian contingent -- 31 athletes, which is nearly 25% of the total contingent. Three of them brought gold, silver, and bronze respectively and many were part of the victorious Indian hockey team. The seeds for Haryana's success were sowed back in the 1980s when Haryana hired coaches for different sports across the State. Though things moved on, the real thrust came with the formulation of a Sports Policy in 2006. The policy laid down the foundations for Haryana's success with a focus on spotting, nurturing, and polishing talent from the State for national and international events.

Today, Haryana has a formal institutional mechanism called 'Play 4 India' under which each student in school is encouraged to take upon sport. With the motto ‘catch them young, catch them right’, Haryana conducts Sports and Physical Aptitude Test (SPAT) is in all the schools across the state to identify the high potential athletes in 8-19 age groups. Participants are administered a battery of standardized tests in three rounds and the qualifiers enter the final round called the Sports and Physical Exercise Evaluation and Development (SPEED) Test where they select a particular game based on their aptitude and counselling. Those who clear the SPEED test are admitted into Sports and Physical Aptitude Continuous Evaluation (SPACE) where they are trained into sports academies . A monthly stipend of INR 1500 and INR 2000 per month is awarded to the students in the age group 8-14 years and 15-19 years respectively. In addition, cash rewards for successful athletes right from national champions to Olympians have been given by the Haryana State Government. Haryana's tryst with sports at the school level is an ideal recipe to create a continuous supply of highly talented sportsperson of world-class caliber as well as promoting a sports culture at scale.

National Education Policy 2020: An Opportunity to Transform India as a Sporting Nation

In his inaugural address at the second Khelo India winter games, the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India remarked that sports have been given a place of pride in the recent National Education Policy (NEP 2020). An extra-curricular activity, Sports, now will be an integral part of the school and college curriculum with grading in sports counted in the education of the children.

The school education system in India caters to around 26 crore students through a network of 15 lac schools with ~18 crore enrolments in rural India, thus paving the way for scaling sports across the country. The existing schemes of the Government of India such as the Samagra Shiksha, Eklavya Model Residential Schools, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, etc have a special emphasis on promoting sports in the remotest part of the country. Samagra Shiksha, the flagship scheme of school education in India has components that exclusively focus on providing sports equipment to schools and supporting the Khelo India Scheme.

The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme has set up at least one residential girls school in every educationally backward block of India. The scheme provides access to a high quality holistic education to girls from marginalized communities -- SC, ST, OBC, BPL, and minorities – from class VI-XII in residential mode. Sports is a very important component of the scheme where facilities for sports such as hockey, kabaddi, kho-kho, badminton, volleyball, etc have been developed. Sports meets are conducted to provide a platform to girls to excel in sports.

The Eklavya Model Residential Schools scheme of the government is targeted at providing holistic education to the students from ST category in tribal areas of the country. There is a lot of focus on sports in these schools. Centre of Excellence for Sports (CoE for Sports) has been planned and implemented across Eklavya Model Residential Schools. This Centre of Excellence will have specialized state-of-the-art facilities for one identified individual sport and one group sport in each State with scientific backup along with specialized training, boarding and lodging facilities, sports kit, sports equipment, competition exposure, insurance, medical expenses, etc. as per norms of Sports Authority of India.

It has to be emphasized that sports is a scientific discipline and requires a strategic roadmap to develop future talent and infuse a sporting culture in India. There are certain sports where Indians have a comparative advantage either because of their genetic build or the prolonged assimilation within certain sports. It might be useful to start a campaign namely One State One Sport, wherein each state government will identify a major sport in which it has a competitive advantage along with other sports which may be accorded a little lesser priority.

Conclusion:

The tradition of sports is deeply rooted in the Indian culture dating a few millennia back. Over the years India has emerged as a major force to reckon with in certain sports in the international arena. However, the sporting culture is limited to few pockets of the country which also happen to be the nursery of athletes in India. Recently, the Government of India has taken many initiatives such as the TOPS, Khelo India, Fit India, etc which has the potential to transform the sports landscape of India. The recent successes at the Olympics, commonwealth games, and world championships have been extremely encouraging. Parents and youngsters are increasingly looking at sports as a career in the country. Right now we are the inflection point of a vibrant sporting culture in India which is only to rise steeply given the support and ecosystem building done by the Indian Government.

Dr Prem Singh is Adviser and Piyush Prakash is Senior Associate, NITI Aayog. Views expressed are personal.

This article was originally published in the November edition of Kurukshetra journal.

Irwin, John (1983). "The Ancient Pillar-Cult at Prayāga: Its Pre-Aśokan Origins". Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland . 115 (2): 253–280

Written reply dated 02.08.2021 in Rajya Sabha by Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Shri Anurag Thakur

Haryana Sports and Physical Fitness Policy, 2015

Essay on Indian Culture for Students and Children

500+ words essay on indian culture.

India is a country that boasts of a rich culture. The culture of India refers to a collection of minor unique cultures. The culture of India comprises of clothing, festivals, languages, religions, music, dance, architecture, food, and art in India. Most noteworthy, Indian culture has been influenced by several foreign cultures throughout its history. Also, the history of India’s culture is several millennia old.

Components of Indian Culture

First of all, Indian origin religions are Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism . All of these religions are based on karma and dharma. Furthermore, these four are called as Indian religions. Indian religions are a major category of world religions along with Abrahamic religions.

Also, many foreign religions are present in India as well. These foreign religions include Abrahamic religions. The Abrahamic religions in India certainly are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Besides Abrahamic religions, Zoroastrianism and Bahá’í Faith are the other foreign religions which exist in India. Consequently, the presence of so many diverse religions has given rise to tolerance and secularism in Indian culture.

The Joint family system is the prevailing system of Indian culture . Most noteworthy, the family members consist of parents, children, children’s spouses, and offspring. All of these family members live together. Furthermore, the eldest male member is the head of the family.

Arranged marriages are the norm in Indian culture. Probably most Indians have their marriages planned by their parents. In almost all Indian marriages, the bride’s family gives dowry to bridegroom. Weddings are certainly festive occasions in Indian culture. There is involvement of striking decorations, clothing, music, dance, rituals in Indian weddings. Most noteworthy, the divorce rates in India are very low.

India celebrates a huge number of festivals. These festivals are very diverse due to multi-religious and multi-cultural Indian society. Indians greatly value festive occasions. Above all, the whole country joins in the celebrations irrespective of the differences.

Traditional Indian food, arts, music, sports, clothing, and architecture vary significantly across different regions. These components are influenced by various factors. Above all, these factors are geography, climate, culture, and rural/urban setting.

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Perceptions of Indian Culture

Indian culture has been an inspiration to many writers. India is certainly a symbol of unity around the world. Indian culture is certainly very complex. Furthermore, the conception of Indian identity poses certain difficulties. However, despite this, a typical Indian culture does exist. The creation of this typical Indian culture results from some internal forces. Above all, these forces are a robust Constitution, universal adult franchise, secular policy , flexible federal structure, etc.

Indian culture is characterized by a strict social hierarchy. Furthermore, Indian children are taught their roles and place in society from an early age. Probably, many Indians believe that gods and spirits have a role in determining their life. Earlier, traditional Hindus were divided into polluting and non-polluting occupations. Now, this difference is declining.

Indian culture is certainly very diverse. Also, Indian children learn and assimilate in the differences. In recent decades, huge changes have taken place in Indian culture. Above all, these changes are female empowerment , westernization, a decline of superstition, higher literacy , improved education, etc.

To sum it up, the culture of India is one of the oldest cultures in the World. Above all, many Indians till stick to the traditional Indian culture in spite of rapid westernization. Indians have demonstrated strong unity irrespective of the diversity among them. Unity in Diversity is the ultimate mantra of Indian culture.

FAQs on Indian Culture

Q1 What are the Indian religions?

A1 Indian religions refer to a major category of religion. Most noteworthy, these religions have their origin in India. Furthermore, the major Indian religions are Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.

Q2 What are changes that have taken place in Indian culture in recent decades?

A2 Certainly, many changes have taken place in Indian culture in recent decades. Above all, these changes are female empowerment, westernization, a decline of superstition, higher literacy, improved education, etc.

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National Spelling Bee reflects the economic success and cultural impact of immigrants from India

FILE - Harini Logan, 14, from San Antonio, Texas, gets a kiss from her mom Rampriya Logan on stage as she celebrates winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Thursday, June 2, 2022, in Oxon Hill, Md. Since 1999, 28 of the last 34 Scripps National Spelling bee champions have been Indian American. The experiences of first-generation Indian Americans and their spelling bee champion children illustrate the economic success and cultural impact of the nation’s second-largest immigrant group. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

FILE - Ishika Varipilli, 11, from Spring, Texas, waits on stage during the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Wednesday, June 1, 2022, in Oxon Hill, Md. Since 1999, 28 of the last 34 Scripps National Spelling bee champions have been Indian American. The experiences of first-generation Indian Americans and their spelling bee champion children illustrate the economic success and cultural impact of the nation’s second-largest immigrant group. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

FILE - Dr. Balu Natarajan, right, from Hinsdale, Ill., poses for a photograph with his son Atman Balakrishnan, 12, at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Oxon Hill, Md. Since 1999, 28 of the last 34 Scripps National Spelling bee champions have been Indian American. And most of those winners are the offspring of parents who arrived in the United States on student or work visas. The experiences of first-generation Indian Americans and their spelling bee champion children illustrate the economic success and cultural impact of the nation’s second-largest immigrant group. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

FILE - Balu Natarajan, an 8th grade student at Jefferson Junior High School in Woodbridge, Ill., holds his trophy with the aid of William R. Burleigh, vice president of Scripps Howard Newspapers, sponsor of the National Spelling Bee, after he won the competition in Washington, on June 6, 1985. Since 1999, 28 of the last 34 Scripps National Spelling bee champions have been Indian American. And most of those winners are the offspring of parents who arrived in the United States on student or work visas. The experiences of first-generation Indian Americans and their spelling bee champion children illustrate the economic success and cultural impact of the nation’s second-largest immigrant group. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty, File)

FILE - Dev Shah, 14, from Largo, Fla., competes during the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Thursday, June 1, 2023, in Oxon Hill, Md. Since 1999, 28 of the last 34 Scripps National Spelling bee champions have been Indian American. The experiences of first-generation Indian Americans and their spelling bee champion children illustrate the economic success and cultural impact of the nation’s second-largest immigrant group. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard, File)

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When Balu Natarajan became the first Indian American champion of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 1985, a headline on an Associated Press article read, “Immigrants’ son wins National Spelling Bee,” with the first paragraph noting the champion “speaks his parents’ native Indian language at home.”

Those details would hardly be newsworthy today after a quarter-century of Indian American spelling champs, most of them the offspring of parents who arrived in the United States on student or work visas.

This year’s bee is scheduled to begin Tuesday at a convention center outside Washington and, as usual, many of the expected contenders are Indian American, including Shradha Rachamreddy, Aryan Khedkar, Bruhat Soma and Ishika Varipilli.

Nearly 70% of Indian-born U.S. residents arrived after 2000, according to census data, and that dovetails with the surge in Indian American spelling bee champions. There were two Indian American Scripps winners before 1999. Of the 34 since, 28 have been Indian American, including three straight years of Indian American co-champions and one year (2019) when eight champions were declared , seven of Indian ancestry.

The experiences of first-generation Indian Americans and their spelling bee champion children illustrate the economic success and cultural impact of the nation’s second-largest immigrant group.

FILE - Ishika Varipilli, 11, from Spring, Texas, waits on stage during the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Wednesday, June 1, 2022, in Oxon Hill, Md. Since 1999, 28 of the last 34 Scripps National Spelling bee champions have been Indian American. The experiences of first-generation Indian Americans and their spelling bee champion children illustrate the economic success and cultural impact of the nation’s second-largest immigrant group. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

As of 2022, there were 3.1 million Indian-born people living in the U.S., and Indian American households had a median income of $147,000, more than twice the median income of all U.S. households, according to census data. Indian Americans also were more than twice as likely to have college degrees.

Indians received 74% of the H-1B visas for specialized occupations approved in fiscal 2021, and a record total of nearly 269,000 students from India were enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities in 2022-23, according to the Institute of International Education.

Those numbers paint a picture of a high-achieving demographic that is well-suited for success in academic competitions.

Ganesh Dasari, whose daughter and son each made multiple appearances at the Scripps bee, holds a doctorate in civil engineering from the University of Cambridge and was recruited to the U.S. to work for ExxonMobil on an H-1B visa. He quickly obtained a green card.

“Me and my wife, we came from a similar background. We both benefited from having the education ... so we put a lot of emphasis on educating our kids,” Dasari said. “We basically introduced them to anything academic, and a couple of sports, but clearly there was a bias in our thinking that education is a higher priority than sports.”

In his 2016 address to Congress, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned “spelling bee champions” among his country’s contributions to the U.S. while that year’s co-champs, Nihar Janga and Jairam Hathwar, watched from the gallery.

FILE - Dev Shah, 14, from Largo, Fla., competes during the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Thursday, June 1, 2023, in Oxon Hill, Md. Since 1999, 28 of the last 34 Scripps National Spelling bee champions have been Indian American. The experiences of first-generation Indian Americans and their spelling bee champion children illustrate the economic success and cultural impact of the nation’s second-largest immigrant group. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard, File)

Even among Indian American spellers, a particular subgroup is overrepresented: families from the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where Telugu is the primary language. Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana, is India’s information-technology hub and the region supplies many H-1B visa recipients.

“Whenever we go to the spelling bee events, everybody speaks that language,” Dasari said. “We realized there are so many people from the same state.”

Deval Shah, the father of last year’s champion, Dev Shah , grew up in the northwestern state of Gujarat and proudly noted Dev was the first spelling bee champion of Gujarati descent. The parents of the 2022 winner, Harini Logan , are from Chennai in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Shah is an engineer, his wife is a physician, and both of Harini’s parents were trained as software engineers.

Indian-born parents of kids with an affinity for spelling have a network of similar families to provide guidance and support, as well as access to organizations like the North South Foundation, which offers academic competitions aimed at the Indian diaspora.

“The reason Indian American immigrants really dominate, the main reason is the North South Foundation,” Shah said.

When Harini won her first NSF spelling competition, Ganesh Dasari was one of the judges, and “he was literally chasing us down” to tell them “Harini has tremendous potential to be on the national stage,” said Rampriya Logan, Harini’s mother.

Ishika, a 13-year-old from Spring, Texas, who will be competing at Scripps this year for the third time, woke her parents at 6 a.m. the day after she lost a third-grade classroom spelling bee, saying she wanted to participate in more bees. Her mother, an IT manager who immigrated to the U.S. in 2006, then reached out to ask advice from other families from the Houston area whose children were high-level spellers.

FILE - Dr. Balu Natarajan, right, from Hinsdale, Ill., poses for a photograph with his son Atman Balakrishnan, 12, at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Oxon Hill, Md. Since 1999, 28 of the last 34 Scripps National Spelling bee champions have been Indian American. And most of those winners are the offspring of parents who arrived in the United States on student or work visas. The experiences of first-generation Indian Americans and their spelling bee champion children illustrate the economic success and cultural impact of the nation’s second-largest immigrant group. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

The relative wealth and stability of Indian American households could lead observers to conclude their children are benefiting primarily from a privileged upbringing. The truth is more nuanced, said Devesh Kapur, a professor of South Asian Studies at Johns Hopkins University and a co-author of “The Other One Percent: Indians in America.”

“It is important to note that the children participating in the spelling bee competition come from striving middle-class immigrant families, often in occupations like IT, and not from wealthier Indian American households in finance or tech start-ups or consulting,” Kapur said.

Natarajan, a Chicago-based physician and health care executive, now serves as the volunteer president of the NSF, and he experienced the spelling bee as a parent when his son, Atman Balakrishnan, competed . He said he sometimes feels out of place because he was born in the U.S. and he admires the grit of Indian-born parents and their children.

“It’s hard to describe, but it’s a very specific mindset that just drives effort and in many ways drives outcomes and sustainable success,” Natarajan said.

Ben Nuckols has covered the Scripps National Spelling Bee since 2012. Follow him at https://x.com/APBenNuckols

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