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| The history of sports in India dates back
to the Vedic era. Physical culture in ancient India was fed by a powerful
fuel--religious rites. There were some well-defined values like the mantra
in the Atharva-Veda, saying," Duty is in my right hand
and the fruits of victory in my left". In terms of an ideal, these
words hold the same sentiments as the traditional Olympic oath: ".......For
the Honour of my Country and the Glory of Sport." The founders of
the Olympic idea had India very much in mind when they were deciding on
the various disciplines. There is a fascinating link between Greece and
India which stretches back to 975 B.C. The zest for chariot-racing and
wrestling was common to both the countries.
 In
India, dehvada or the body-way is defined as "one of the ways
to full realisation." In the day and age of the Rig-Veda, Ramayana
and Mahabharata men of stature and circumstance were expected
to be competent in chariot-racing, archery, horsemanship, military tactics,
wrestling, weight-lifting, swimming and hunting
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| The guru-shishya (teacher-pupil) relationship
has always been an integral part of Indian sport from time immemorial.
Indian sport reached a peak of excellence when Buddhism held sway here.
In Villas Mani Majra, Tiruvedacharya describes many fascinating
games, namely, archery, equitation, hammer-throwing and chariot-racing.
In Manas Olhas (1135 A.D.), Someshwar writes about bhrashram
(weight-lifting), bhramanshram (walking) and also about Mall-Stambha
(wrestling).
It is more than likely that many of today's Olympic disciplines
are sophisticated versions of the games of strength and speed that flourished
in ancient India and Greece. Chess, wrestling, polo, archery and hockey
(possibly a fall-out from polo) are some of the games believed to have
originated in India.
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