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Sporting events may be as old as civilization itself, as depictions of sports can be found from ancient times. Sports may have first appeared as a form of military training but has since then evolved into a very important part of human culture and our daily lives. Even those who do not participate in sports take interest in sports as spectators. Sports in India are also interlinked with the development of its culture. The history of sports in India dates back to the Vedic era. Very similar to the Olympic Oath, the mantra in the Atharvaveda, says, "Duty is in my right hand and the fruits of victory in my left." A variety of Sports are thought to have originated in India, Badminton probably began as a grownup's version of a very old children's game known in England as Battledore and Shuttlecock, the battledore being a paddle and the shuttlecock a small feathered cork, now usually called a "bird." Besides Sports in India, Games like chess (chaturanga), snakes and ladders, playing cards and snooker originated in India. The importance of Indian sports can be seen by the amount of Sports played across the country as India is home to a diverse population playing many different sports. India also competes in the Olympic games; A single athlete, Norman Pritchard, represented India in the 1900 Olympics, winning two silver medals. India sent its first national team to the Olympics in 1920, and has participated in every Summer Olympic Games ever since. India has also competed at several Winter Olympic Games since 1964. India has won a total of 26 Olympic medals. India won its first gold medal in men's field hockey in the 1928 Olympic Games. Of the Indian Sports, Cricket is the most popular sport. Football is also a very popular sport in some of the Indian states. The country has won eight Olympic gold medals in field hockey, another popular game in India. Kabaddi, an indigenous sport is popular in rural India. India has won medals in Badminton, Kabaddi, Hockey and many other sports and disciplines. As Indian Sports are also played with a high level of professionalism thus leading the country to participate in and hold many sporting events. India has hosted and co-hosted several international sporting events, including the 1951 and 1982 Asian Games, the 1987, 1996 and 2011 Cricket World Cup, the 2003 Afro-Asian Games, the 2010 Hockey World Cup and the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a premier twenty20 cricket league held every year from 2008. The Indian Super League is a football league tournament held since 2014. Major international sporting events annually held in India include the Chennai Open in tennis, the Indian Masters in golf. From 2011 to 2013, India hosted the Indian Grand Prix Formula 1 race at the Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida. The National Games of India is a national domestic sports event, which has been held in the country since 1924. It will host the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
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India Sports, Indian sports, Sports in India,
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