India is a diverse country with a diverse population playing different sports. Today, Cricket doesn’t hold a monopoly over people’s viewership. The Indian audience is growing more interested in many other forms of sports like hockey, tennis, badminton, and football, among others. Sports is seen as a great career option by the Indian masses. Want to know which one dominates over the other? What is the national sport of India? KreedOn brings the complete list of the top 20 most popular sports in India.

Complete List of Top 20 Sports in India

Popular Sports in India: Motorsport

Motorsport is a very popular form of sport amongst the Indian youth. The development of the sports took off in India only post the 2000s, with two popular Indian drivers, Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok the flag-bearers.

From 2011 to 2013, the Buddh International Circuit in Sector 25 along the Yamuna Expressway in the Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh State hosted the Indian Grand Prix, a race in the FIA Formula One World Championship.

Popular Sports in India: Table Tennis

Table Tennis is an immensely popular indoor sport in India. However, it is most famous in states such as West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. The Table Tennis Federation of India is the sports’ official governing body.

TT’s popularity grew significantly only in the last few years. India has talented players playing for the country as singles players and ranked in the top 50 in both the Men’s and Women’s categories. Some of them are Sharath Kamal, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Manika Batra.

Popular Sports in India: Boxing

In India, Boxing did not interest a large audience but had a significant fan following. The reason behind the lack of attention to the game was the lack of international victories. However, the sport is now gaining huge popularity.

Boxing came into the limelight after Indian wrestler Vijender Singh brought home a bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Games. The sport’s popularity reached new heights after famous pugilist Mary Kom became the first woman athlete to win a boxing medal. Kids often confuse boxing with WWE. In reality, boxing is a professional sport whereas WWE is a combat-based entertainment show.

Tennis

Tennis is one of the most popular sports in the world and enjoys a considerable following in India. India has had many tennis players who have achieved international recognition and have made their presence in some of the top tennis tournaments and grand slams.

Who doesn’t know Sania Mirza? She is an Indian former professional tennis player & former world No. 1 in the doubles discipline. Mirza won six major titles - three in women’s doubles and three in mixed doubles. Sania was ranked by the WTA as India’s No. 1 player in both categories. Mirza has established herself as the most successful female Indian tennis player ever. The governing body of tennis in India is the All India Tennis Association, established in 1920.

Athletics

During the era of the British Raj, athletics was introduced in India. The governing body for the sport at the national level is the Athletics Federation of India, established in 1946. Milkha Singh, famously known as “The Flying Sikh,” became India’s first globally successful athlete. Some of the notable Indian athletes in the history of athletics include Praveen Kumar, T. C Yohannan, Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, Neeraj Chopra, Sriram Singh, etc. Among the contemporary female athletes, noteworthy names include P T Usha, Swapna Singh, Jyotirmoyee Sikdar, Krishna Poonia, Saraswati Saha, Soma Biswas, and Anju Bobby George.

Wrestling

Wrestling is one of the oldest sports in the world, and also has a long history in India. The sport has gained popularity over time and has brought India several medals from many major tournaments.

Indian wrestlers have taken Indian wrestling to a greater level, with at least a medal at every Olympics since the 2008 Beijing Games. Some of the popular wrestlers in India include Bajrang Punia, Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Geeta Phogat, etc. The sport has gained even more popularity after the Bollywood hits like Sultan and Dangal.

Most famous sports in India: Badminton

Badminton is a very popular sport in India and is managed by the Badminton Association of India. The reason behind badminton’s growing popularity is the talented Indian shuttlers making their country proud at various international tournaments.

Prakash Padukone was the first-ever Indian shuttler to achieve the world no.1 spot in the game. India has witnessed the rise of numerous talented badminton players who have garnered popularity both nationally and internationally. Some of the most popular badminton players in India include Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy, etc.

The most famous sports in India :Hockey

Hockey is the national sport of India. It is among the popular sports in the country.
Indian hockey shares a golden history with numerous medals bagged by the Indian hockey team at various international tournaments. The country has the distinction of producing legendary players like Dhyan Chand, Udham Singh, and Dhanraj Pillay.

However, after the last gold medal at the 1980 Olympics, the team’s performance has declined over the last three decades. Later in 2016, after 36 years of struggle, the Indian men’s team won a silver medal in the Champions Trophy and reached the knockout stage of the Olympics. In CWG 2022, India won silver in men’s hockey after losing 0-7 to Australia in the final.

Most Popular Sports in India: Kabaddi

Kabaddi is a contact sport that originated in ancient India. It is one of the most popular sports in India. This traditional sport was mainly played in villages, but now has turned into an international sport. There are four forms of Kabaddi played in India, namely Amar, Siranjeevi, Huttuttoo, and Gaminee. Siranjeevi is the form used in international matches generally.

India won gold medals at the Asian Games in 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014 in this discipline. The Pro Kabaddi League has a vast audience taking an interest in it. It was introduced in 2014 in India-based on the Indian Premier League, with Bollywood stars owning different teams.

Top 10 Kabaddi Players in India and Abroad

Popular Sports in India: Football

Football is the most popular sport in the world and has great fame in India as well. Traditionally, Football enjoys immense popularity among states like Kerala, West Bengal, Goa, and north-eastern India, which consists of Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim.

Sunil Chhetri is the Indian national team present captain. India ranks at 101 among the FIFA World Rankings. Indian football leagues are gaining traction, showcasing homegrown talent and attracting international stars. As the roar of the crowd grows louder, football’s popularity soars, transcending boundaries and uniting people from diverse backgrounds.

Most Popular Sport in India: Cricket

Cricket is by far the most-watched sport in India. The popularity of cricket in the country is due to the large interest of the citizens in this particular sport and sports persons. India’s great performances in International cricket tournaments have a huge role to play in its increasing popularity. Also, various sports channels and brands promote the sport, thereby grabbing the attention of the masses.

The country has produced some of the best cricketers that the world has ever seen, in the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and many more. Currently, Virat Kohli is the most popular cricketer with the greatest fan base.

Conclusion

India has always been known for its talent in sports, but for many years, cricket was the clear favorite among fans. Recently, though, things have changed. People in India are now excited about a variety of sports, not just cricket. There’s a growing interest in football, kabaddi, badminton, wrestling, athletics, and more. This shift shows that awareness is increasing and that our sports culture is evolving, thanks in part to grassroots development and the rise of professional leagues.

A big reason for this change is the success of Indian athletes on the world stage. Achievers like PV Sindhu, Neeraj Chopra, Mary Kom, and Sunil Chhetri have inspired countless young people in India. They’ve shown that talent can shine internationally across many sports, which has boosted national pride and encouraged more youngsters to view sports as a serious and respected career.

The introduction of leagues such as the Pro Kabaddi League, Indian Super League for football, and the Premier Badminton League has also changed how we enjoy sports in the country. These leagues have improved facilities, attracted more media attention, and even brought in celebrity owners, making kabaddi and football popular across India, not just in certain regions.

Top 10 Most Popular Sports In India Right Now

FAQs

Cricket is the most popular sport in India. It enjoys a massive following across the country and is deeply embedded in Indian culture.

Hockey is the national sport of India, with a rich legacy of Olympic medals and historic achievements.

Yes, football is the second most popular sport in India. It is especially loved in states like West Bengal, Kerala, Goa, and the northeastern region.

Some of the top Indian badminton players include PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, and HS Prannoy.

Sports like archery, gymnastics, table tennis, swimming, shooting, and chess are steadily gaining popularity and producing international-level athletes.