Sport in British India

During the British rule of India, sport played a significant role in shaping interactions between the rulers and the native population. British influence saw the native sports, such as kabaddi and kho-kho, decline in popularity but become more standardised, as seen in their demonstration at the 1936 Summer Olympics. British sports were also imported with the aim of spreading British values; this effort intensified after the Rebellion of 1857, and was often executed indirectly through the rulers of the princely states. Some Indians participated in these sports to rise up the social hierarchy by imitating their colonisers, while others aimed to achieve victory against the British as a form of anti-colonial resistance.

The economic struggles prevailing at the time limited people's overall ability to participate in sport.


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