Sport in South Asia explained

Many sports are played in South Asia, with cricket being the most popular of them; 90% of the sport's worldwide fans live in South Asia.[1] Football is followed passionately in some parts of South Asia,[2] such as Kerala and Bengal.[3] [4] [5] Field hockey was popular for several decades, with some of South Asia's greatest sporting accomplishments having taken place in this sport.[6] Some native South Asian games are played professionally in the region, such as kabaddi and kho-kho, and also feature in regional competitions such as the South Asian Games and Asian Games.[7] [8]

History

Ancient and medieval period

See also: South Asian physical culture. Some martial arts were practiced during this time period, such as kalaripayattu.[9] Several variations of tag were played at the time, with kho-kho having been mentioned in the fourth century BCE,[10] and atya-patya around 300 CE; some of them were used for military training purposes.[11] [12] The board game chaturanga formed the foundation of the modern game of chess, and was also used as strategic training for war;[13] [14] it travelled towards Europe and China under Persian and then Arab influence.[15]

Colonial period

See also: South Asian sports at the Olympics. British colonisation of South Asia introduced several British sports into the subcontinent, such as cricket, football, and hockey,[16] [17] causing a decline for the local sports,[18] though some of the local sports began to be standardised during this period in Maharashtra.[19] [20] The economic struggles prevailing at the time limited people's overall ability to participate in sport.[21]

The transformation of sports and society in South Asia and the accompanying element of coloniality and anti-colonial resistance caused unique transformations throughout this time period: cricket, for example, came to be seen as a unifying way to demonstrate resistance and success against the colonisers and helped in reducing various forms of societal discrimination,[22] [23] while football came to be seen as an equalising game that cut across class lines and united the global anti-imperialist struggle in left-wing regions such as Kerala and West Bengal.[24] British accusations of Indian effeminacy, which enabled them to demonstrate superiority and powered their programs to reshape local practices, were resisted in a variety of ways, with success against British teams seen as contributing to national revival.[25] [26] However, the interaction between local beliefs and Western sporting practices also manifested itself in anti-sport ways at times: the initial introduction of football at one Srinagar school, designed to produce physical fitness among the children, had to take place by force because the schoolboys saw contact with the ball as defiling them,[27] and similar sentiments of avoiding defilement led to Brahmins preferring cricket because it didn't involve contact with lower castes.[28]

Some South Asian board games were transmitted overseas, such as the games now known as ludo and snakes and ladders.[29] [30] [31]

Contemporary period

Field hockey was popular for several decades after the colonial era. After India's victory in the 1983 Cricket World Cup, cricket started to grow in the subcontinent while hockey declined,[32] [33] with the 1975 switch from grass to astroturf fields often cited as making hockey too expensive.[34] The introduction of Twenty20 cricket, a format that greatly reduced the playing duration, as well as the advent of the Indian Premier League, which made cricket a strong economic force in the region, further grew the popularity of the sport.[35] Cricket also grew in Afghanistan with the return of refugees who had learned the sport in Pakistan.[36]

The poverty of South Asia has continued to be a defining factor in limiting the success of sport in the region; until the 1970s, for example, cricket and football were not prevalent because of the expensiveness of buying balls.[37]

One of the most important sports rivalries within the subcontinent is the India–Pakistan sports rivalry, due to the history of conflict between the two nations after their partition in 1947.[38] [39]

Various traditional sports have had professional leagues started for them in the 21st century (largely propelled by the economic liberalisation of the 1990s that took place in India that increased investing into sports),[40] such as the Pro Kabaddi League, which has significantly grown kabaddi,[41] as well as Ultimate Kho Kho and the Pro Panja League for arm wrestling.[42] [43] Kabaddi in particular has begun to spread globally,[44] with non-South Asian countries becoming successful at the sport.[45] [46] The growth of these traditional sports has been aided by changes to their appearance and rule sets, such as a shift from playing on mud surfaces to matted surfaces.[47] [48] [49] Some national and sub-national initiatives have also been undertaken to promote sports, such as Khelo India and the Chhattisgarhiya Olympics.[50] [51]

Women's sports have grown in South Asia with the advent of women's sporting leagues such as the Women's Kabaddi League and the Women's Premier League (cricket).[52]

Competitions

Major sporting leagues or competitions

GameCompetition
Arm wrestling (panja)Pro Panja League
AthleticsSouth Asian U20 Athletics Championships
Auto racingIndian National Rally Championship
JK Tyre National Racing Championship
BadmintonPremier Badminton League
India Open
Syed Modi International Badminton Championships
Odisha Open
India International Challenge
BasketballElite Pro Basketball League
3x3 Pro Basketball League
INBL
BoxingSuper Boxing League
CricketRanji Trophy
Irani Cup
Vijay Hazare Trophy
Duleep Trophy
Indian Premier LeagueSyed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
Bangladesh Premier League
Pakistan Super League
CyclingInternational Cycling League
Pro Cycle Cycling
Field hockeyHockey India League
FootballIndian Super League
Bangladesh Premier League (football)
I-League
I-League 2
I-League 3
Indian Women's League
IWL 2nd Division
State football leagues
Club cup tournaments (Super Cup, Durand Cup, IFA Shield etc.)
Inter state association tournaments (Santosh Trophy, Senior Women's NFC etc.)
FutsalFutsal Club Championship
GolfProfessional Golf Tour of India
Indian Open (golf)
Women's Indian Open
HandballPremier Handball League
Ice HockeyIndian Ice Hockey Championship
KabaddiPro Kabaddi League
Super Kabaddi League
Kho-khoUltimate Kho Kho
Mixed martial artsMatrix Fight Night
Roller hockey (quad)Indian Roller Hockey National Championship
Rugby UnionAll India & South Asia Rugby Tournament
Squash (sport)National Squash Championship
Table TennisUltimate Table Tennis
India Open (table tennis)
TennisMaharashtra Open
VolleyballPrime Volleyball League
WrestlingPro Wrestling League

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2018-06-28 . Explained snippets: Cricket has 1 billion fans, 90% of them in subcontinent . 2023-08-14 . The Indian Express . en.
  2. Book: Dimeo, Paul . Soccer in South Asia: Empire, Nation, Diaspora . Mills . James . 2001 . 978-0-7146-5146-0.
  3. Web site: Bastian . Ron . 2022-11-13 . For football-crazy Kerala, FIFA World Cup is its biggest festival . 2023-08-14 . thefederal.com . en.
  4. Web site: 2018-06-14 . Why Bengal is obsessed with football? . 2023-08-14 . The Indian Express . en.
  5. Web site: 2021-12-16 . 50 years of Victory: What has Bangladesh achieved in the field of sports? . 2023-08-14 . The Business Standard . en.
  6. https://olympics.com/en/news/indian-field-hockey-history-legacy-olympics-world-cup-dhyan-chand-balbir History of hockey in India: Taught by the British, India conquered the world
  7. Web site: Taneja . Nidhima . 2023-01-27 . Pro kabaddi, kho-kho leagues chase IPL viewership. India rediscovering regional sports . 2023-08-14 . ThePrint . en-US.
  8. Web site: OCA » Ancient tag game of kho kho catching on fast . 2023-08-14 . ocasia.org.
  9. Web site: Sunder . Kalpana . 2021-05-31 . What is kalari? The world’s oldest martial art from India is making a comeback . 2023-08-14 . The National . en.
  10. Web site: 2023-05-30 . The Evolution Of Kho Kho Mats In India: A Historical Overview . 2023-08-14 . English Jagran . en.
  11. Web site: Arasu . S. T. . 2020-07-04 . Galah Panjang and its Indian roots . 2023-08-14 . On the sport. Be part of it . en.
  12. Web site: Myths surrounding the origin of the ancient Indian game kabaddi . 2023-08-28 . HT School . en-US.
  13. Web site: Wiley . Melissa . The fascinating history of chess, from attempts to ban the game to the rise of supercomputers . 2023-08-14 . Insider . en-US.
  14. Web site: Shah Mat! The Global Origins of Chess in War and Diplomacy . 2023-08-28 . History Hit . en-GB.
  15. Web site: The History of Board Games in South Asia - Ushna Khan - Youlin Magazine . 2024-05-29 . www.youlinmagazine.com . en.
  16. Web site: 2020-07-20 . ‘The Revenge of Plassey’: Football in the British Raj . 2023-08-14 . LSE International History.
  17. Book: Sen, Ronojoy . Nation at Play: A History of Sport in India . 2015 . Columbia University Press . 10.7312/sen-16490.
  18. Book: Vaczi, Mariann . Indigenous, Traditional, and Folk Sports: Contesting Modernities . Bairner . Alan . 2023-10-06 . Taylor & Francis . 978-1-000-98328-9 . en.
  19. Book: Bromber, Katrin . Sport Across Asia: Politics, Cultures, and Identities . Krawietz . Birgit . Maguire . Joseph . 2013 . Routledge . 978-0-415-88438-9 . en.
  20. https://olympics.com/en/news/kho-kho-history-rules-how-to-play Kho Kho, a kabaddi-like sport linked with Indian epic Mahabharata - know all about it
  21. Book: Encyclopedia of Indian Physical Culture: A Comprehensive Survey of the Physical Education in India, Profusely Illustrating Various Activities of Physical Culture, Games, Exercises, Etc., as Handed Over to Us from Our Fore-fathers and Practised in India . 1950 . Good Companions . Mujumdar . Dattatraya Chintaman . 22 . 14652803.
  22. Web site: 2023-08-18 . Caste In Sports: Are Dalits Yet To Reach The Top? . 2024-05-13 . Outlook India . en.
  23. News: How caste, community and religion helped the development of Cricket Culture in India . Sportskeeda.
  24. Web site: Ninan . Susan . 2022-12-05 . Making Sense of Soccer Fever in India . 2024-07-30 . New Lines Magazine . en.
  25. Book: Mills, James H. . Confronting the Body: The Politics of Physicality in Colonial and Post-colonial India . Sen . Satadru . 2004 . Anthem Press . 978-1-84331-033-4 . en.
  26. Majumdar . Boria . Brown . Sean . 2007 . Why baseball, why cricket? differing nationalisms, differing challenges . The International Journal of the History of Sport . en . 24 . 2 . 150 . 10.1080/09523360601045732 . 0952-3367.
  27. Book: Mills, James H. . Subaltern Sports: Politics and Sport in South Asia . 2005-05-15 . Anthem Press . 978-1-84331-167-6 . en.
  28. Book: Mills, James H. . Confronting the Body: The Politics of Physicality in Colonial and Post-colonial India . Sen . Satadru . 2004 . Anthem Press . 978-1-84331-033-4 . en.
  29. Web site: Arts . Global . Cultures . read . Design 2 min . South Asian games . 2024-05-29 . National Museums Scotland . en.
  30. News: 2008-10-12 . Who invented the board game Snakes and Ladders? . The Times of India . 2023-08-14 . 0971-8257.
  31. Web site: 2018-01-21 . Monopoly, Senet and Game of Twenty: India Taught the World to Roll the Dice . 2023-08-14 . News18 . en.
  32. Gupta . Amit . 2004 . The Globalization of Cricket: The Rise of the Non-West . The International Journal of the History of Sport . en . 21 . 2 . 257–276 . 10.1080/09523360410001681975 . 0952-3367.
  33. Web site: Subramanian . Samanth . 2008-06-24 . 1983 win started it, but cricket became big biz only after 1999 . 2023-08-14 . mint . en.
  34. Web site: Despite waning popularity, field hockey still has place in Pakistan, says German legend . 2024-07-30 . www.aa.com.tr.
  35. News: The Indian Premier League is taking over global cricket . The Economist . 2023-08-14 . 0013-0613.
  36. News: 2014-02-01 . From refugee camps to Kabul: The story of Afghan cricket . en-GB . BBC News . 2023-08-14.
  37. Book: Vaczi, Mariann . Indigenous, Traditional, and Folk Sports: Contesting Modernities . Bairner . Alan . 2023-10-06 . Taylor & Francis . 978-1-000-98328-9 . en.
  38. Web site: AFP . Agence France-Presse- . 2022-08-12 . 'War minus shooting': Cricket rivalry of Pakistan and India . 2023-08-28 . Daily Sabah . en-US.
  39. Web site: India vs. Pakistan: A complex rivalry hitting new heights – DW – 10/20/2022 . 2023-08-28 . dw.com . en.
  40. Web site: IANS . 2014-12-29 . India, the new El Dorado for world sport? . 2023-08-30 . www.thehansindia.com . en.
  41. News: The rise and rise of kabaddi, an ancient Indian sport . The Economist . 2023-08-14 . 0013-0613.
  42. Web site: IANS . Ultimate Kho Kho takes a giant leap in viewership with massive 164 million reach . 2023-08-14 . Deccan Herald . en.
  43. Web site: From Handball To Panja, Why Sports Leagues Are Taking Off In India . 2023-08-14 . Forbes India . en.
  44. News: A home-grown Indian sport is winning fans far beyond the subcontinent . The Economist . 2023-08-28 . 0013-0613.
  45. News: Garfinkel . Perry . 2018-10-02 . Rugby Meets Red Rover: Kabaddi Has Captured the Heart of India . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-08-28 . 0362-4331.
  46. Web site: 2018-08-21 . 'Zouuu zouuu': Iran out to reclaim ancient sport of kabaddi . 2023-08-28 . Yahoo News . en-SG.
  47. Web site: 2023-05-29 . The Evolution of Kho Kho Mats in India: A Historical Overview . 2023-08-28 . News18 . en.
  48. Web site: From Handball To Panja, Why Sports Leagues Are Taking Off In India . 2023-08-28 . Forbes India . en.
  49. Web site: Taneja . Nidhima . 2023-01-27 . Pro kabaddi, kho-kho leagues chase IPL viewership. India rediscovering regional sports . 2023-08-28 . ThePrint . en-US.
  50. Web site: ANI . 2023-02-10 . Khelo India has given platform to thousands of young players: Anurag Thakur . 2023-08-14 . ThePrint . en-US.
  51. Web site: 2023-07-17 . CM Bhupesh Baghel inaugurates ‘Chhattisgarhiya Olympic’ in Raipur . 2023-08-14 . Hindustan Times . en.
  52. https://www.outlookindia.com/sports/after-wpl-now-pro-kabaddi-league-plans-to-launch-women-s-version-news-266611 After WPL, Now Pro Kabaddi League Plans To Launch Women's Version

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