Sports and recreation
Several traditional indigenous sports—such as kabaddi, kho kho, pehlwani, gilli-danda, hopscotch and martial arts such as Kalarippayattu and marma adi—remain popular. Chess is commonly held to have originated in India as chaturaṅga;[479] in recent years, there has been a rise in the number of Indian grandmasters,[480] and world champions.[481] Parcheesi is derived from Pachisi, another traditional Indian pastime, which in early modern times was played on a giant marble court by Mughal emperor Akbar the Great.[482]
Cricket is the most popular sport in India.[483] India has won two Cricket World Cups, the 1983 edition and the 2011 edition. India has won eight field hockey gold medals in the summer olympics.[484] India has participated in shooting sports and has won several medals at the Olympics, the World Shooting Championships, and the Commonwealth Games.[485][486] Other sports in which Indians have succeeded internationally include badminton,[487] boxing,[488] and wrestling.[489] Football is popular in West Bengal, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and the north-eastern states. The major domestic league is the Indian Premier League. Professional leagues in other sports include the Indian Super League (football) and the Pro Kabaddi League.[490][491][492]