Sports in Karnataka
sports in Indian state
Sports in Karnataka feature a wide variety of traditional as well as modern olympic sports, played across the Indian state of Karnataka. Cricket is by far the most popular sport in the state with International cricket matches attracting a sizeable number of spectators. The sports infrastructure is mainly concentrated in the state's capital city of Bengaluru, which also played co-host to the 4th National Games of India in the year 1997 with Mysuru. The city also hosts Sports Authority of India (SAI), the premier sports institute in India.
Other than cricket, the state has produced national and international athletes and has been a major center for Badminton, Hockey, Football, Chess, Cue sports, Athletics, swimming and indigenous sports such as Hori Habba and Kambala. Karnataka is sometimes referred to as the cradle of Indian swimming thanks to a strong swimming culture and having won multiple gold medals at the National Games.
History
Ancient and Medieval Karnataka
Sporting culture in Karnataka has a long history dating back to the ancient and medieval periods and was seen as a necessary physical excerise for hunting and military before being evolved into entertainment. Indigenous sports such as Kabaddi and similar sports served as a medium for social connection and community bonding in ancient Karnataka.
Sports also formed an important part of military training under the dynasties such as Western Chalukyas, Hoysalas and Vijayanagara Empire. Inscriptions across Karnataka such as the 982 CE Shravanabelagola inscription of the Rashtrakuta emperor Indra IV mentions India's one of the most extensive text detailing specialised tactics, maneuvers and rules of the game Polo.
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