Indians have an incredible sporting tradition aside from cricket. Although cricket is the number one sport for Indians, most sports played in India are widely known for their success on the world stage.
Below, we list the top 20 sports in India.
1. Cricket
The most loved sport of all Indians, both in terms of how many people view/play it.
Cricket has become even more popular thanks to the IPL and international competition.
Great examples of cricketing legends are Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma.
2. Football
Football is particularly popular in Kerala, West Bengal, Goa, and the North-East.
The Indian Super League (ISL) has helped make football a popular sport in India.
Sunil Chhetri is one of the most famous footballers in India.
3. Kabaddi
A traditional Indian game is now gaining popularity worldwide.
Pro Kabaddi has been successful in increasing the popularity of Kabaddi.
India has been dominant at Kabaddi competitions held worldwide.
4. Hockey
India is known worldwide as the home of hockey; it is India’s national sport and is played in many Olympic Games.
The men’s and women’s hockey teams have continued to perform well on the largest of international stages.
5. Badminton
Badminton is one of the fastest-developing sports in India.
The Indian stars in badminton – Sindhu, Nehwal, and Sen – are idols for Indians from all age groups.
6. Wrestling
Wrestling is a sport that has been a part of Indian culture for a long time.
There are many famous wrestlers like Bajrang Punia and Phogat Sisters who have won several awards internationally.
7. Athletics
It is becoming very popular because of international competitions such as the Olympics and World Championships.
Neeraj Chopra won the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
8. Tennis
Players like Paes, Bhupathi, and Mirza are famous in this game. India has a rich history of winning doubles tennis games.
9. Boxing
Boxing has become very popular due to the successes of Singh, Kom, and Zareen.
The consistency of medal-winning performances has created renewed excitement in the sport.
10. Table Tennis
Table tennis is played in most schools and colleges.
With players like Kamal and Batra having very achievable goals of playing internationally, table tennis will continue to reach more people in India.
11. Basketball
Basketball has seen a huge increase in popularity amongst young people.
The NBA has also been instrumental in promoting basketball in the cities.
12. Chess
Chess has evolved from the ancient game of chaturanga. There are currently a lot of Indian Grandmasters like Anand and Gukesh.
13. Shooting
Shooting has gained a lot of attention due to Olympic success.
The top shooters in India are Bindra, Bhaker, and Kaur Samra.
14. Archery
Archery is a growing Olympic sport in India.
Athletes like Kumari and Devi have created global interest in archery.
15. Swimming
Increasing participation through national competitions.
India’s swimmers continue to improve on the global stage.
16. Gymnastics
Became more popular after Dipa Karmakar’s historic Olympic performance.
A rapidly developing sport in India.
17. Weightlifting
India has consistently won medals at the Commonwealth Games.
Mirabai Chanu is among the country’s biggest sporting stars.
18. Kho Kho
One of India’s oldest indigenous games.
Played extensively in schools and rural tournaments.
19. Bodybuilding
Gaining rapid popularity owing to increased fitness consciousness and social networking sites.
Successful bodybuilders for India have been produced consistently.
20. Motorsports
Motorsports like Formula racing and MotoGP have widened their scope.
Indian racers have benefited from Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok.
