Sports in India dates back to the ancient times with references found in the Vedas and Indus Valley Civilization. Archaeological excavations of Mohenjodaro and Harappa reveal that people indulged in some sort of physical activities and also played a variety of games using marbles, balls and dice. Hunting, swimming, boating and boxing were some of the sports played and nurtured in India in ancient times.

A mantra in the Atharva-Veda, says that," Duty is in my right hand and the fruits of victory in my left". 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 Olympics had India in their minds 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 passion for chariot-racing and wrestling was common to both the countries. 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.

Yoga was an integral part of ancient Indian culture. Yoga was practice by almost every school thought to achieve spiritual and mental peace. It was forgotten by the people but now people have once again realized the importance of yoga.

The present scenario of coaches is also a part of traditional sports. The guru – shishya trend or the teacher – pupil relationship can be traced back to the times of Ramayana and Mahabharata. The gurus would take their shihyas under their custody and introduce them toarchery, chariot racing, wrestling, hunting, horse riding, weight lifting, swimming and military tactics. The weapons of war, for instance, the javelin (toran) and the discus (chakra), were frequently used in sports. Lord Krishna wielded an impressive discus or Sudarshan chakra. In Mahabharata, Guru Dronacharya wanted his pupil Arjuna to be best in archery. Bhima, Hanuman, Bhimsen, Jamvant, Jarasandha were some of the great champion wrestlers of that time. Today’s fencing was popular in the ancient India in the form of sword fighting.

Buddhist literature is full of examples giving references to the importance of sports at that time. Lord Buddha himself was an ace in archery, chariot-racing and hammer-throwing. Renowned travelers like Fa Hien and Hiuen Tsang wrote about the various contemporary sports in Nalanda and Taxila in their travelogues. With the influence of Buddhism, art of self-defense also gained popularity in ancient India. More famous in the name of martial arts, it is still practiced through various dance forms especially in the southern part of India.

Games like chess, snakes and ladders, playing cards, polo, the martial arts of judo and karate had originated in India and it was from here that these games were transmitted to foreign countries, where they were further developed.