Sports of West Bengal - 1

Sports hold a special significance in West Bengal, where people not only actively participate in games like cricket, football, and others but also take pleasure in watching and acknowledging the players' efforts. Sports, therefore, play an integral role in Bengali culture.

Famous Sports in West Bengal

• Cricket 

  
  Cricket gained substantial momentum among Bengalis in 1910 with the establishment of the Bengal Gymkhana. By the 1920s, Bengal's cricket had risen to prominence, boasting teams capable of competing with the best in the country. Renowned cricketers from West Bengal include Sourav Ganguly, Gopal Bose, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Manoj Tiwari, and more.
• Football
   Bengal is hailed as the home of Indian football, with Kolkata being referred to as the Mecca of Indian football. Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikary, acknowledged as the Father of Indian Soccer, played a crucial role in introducing soccer in Kolkata in 1877. Eminent football players from West Bengal include Chuni Goswami, Gostho Pal, Sailen Manna, Krishanu Dey, Mohammed Salim, Pradip Kumar Banerjee, and Sudip Chatterjee.
• Hockey
  Hockey enjoys immense popularity in West Bengal, especially in Kolkata, with the first hockey club in India established in the city in 1885-86. Despite its historic role in Indian hockey, Kolkata remains the only major metropolis without an artificial turf. Notable hockey players from West Bengal include Bharat Chettri, Cyril Michi, Carlyle Tapsell, among others.
• Kho Kho
  Kho Kho, known as Daria Banda in West Bengal, is gaining popularity in the state with its simple rules.

Boat Racing
Boat racing, a traditional sport in West Bengal, particularly in Kolkata, involves races in lagoons. The sport is categorized by the number of people on the boat and is frequently held in Kolkata.

Sports Clubs in West Bengal

• Calcutta Cricket and Football Club
  This club was founded in 1792 and is one of the oldest sports clubs in the world. This present day Club has merged with the well known clubs such as Calcutta Cricket Club of 1792 vintage, Ballygunge Cricket Club (1864-1950) and Calcutta Football Club (1872-1877).  

• Royal Calcutta Golf Club
  It is located in Kolkata. It was established in 1829 and is the oldest golf club in India. The Royal Calcutta Golf Club is the oldest golf club outside the United Kingdom and is the second-oldest outside Scotland.
• Calcutta Polo Club
  It is located in Kolkata. It was established in 1862 and is considered as the oldest polo club of the world which is still in existence. The modern game of polo, though formalised and popularised by the British, is derived from Manipur, who played the game known as Sagol Kangjei, Kanjai-bazee or Pulu.  
• Mohun Bagan Club
  This club was established in 1889 in Kolkata. Bhupendra Nath Bose was its founder and the first president. It is the oldest existing football club in India as well as in Asia. The club created history in 1911, when players of the club defeated East Yorkshire Regiment thus winning the IFA Shield.
  Astonishing fact is that the Indian players had no equipments and played barefooted against the Yorkshire team that had proper footballing equipments. 

• Tollygunge Club
  The club was founded in 1895 at Tollygunge, Kolkata. It is ranked among the top 20 clubs in the world. The club offers facilities for golf, squash, swimming, horse riding, etc.  
• Mohammedan SC Club
  It was found in 1891 in Kolkata. It is one of the oldest and most popular football clubs in India. Players of this club played against Britishers and earned huge support from all over India. It was the first Indian club to win the Durand Cup in 1940 and the first Indian club to win on foreign land. This club was also the first club to win Aga Khan Gold Cup in 1950.
• East Bengal Club
  It is also known as Quess East Bengal Club. It was founded in 1920 in Kolkata. It is a football club and prepares players for national and international tournaments. The club has won 8 Federation Cups and 3 National Football Leagues. This club has rivalry with two other well known clubs i.e. Mohan Bagan Club and Mohammedan SC club.  
  These clubs form healthy competition with each other.
  
• Atletico De Kolkata 
  It is a Kolkata based football club and is the newest addition in the field of sports. It was founded on 7th May, 2014. It plays in Indian Super League which is a professional football league started in 2013.

Sports Associations in West Bengal 

• Indian Football Association (IFA) of West Bengal
  This organisation administers football in the state of West Bengal. It is the oldest football association in India and was founded in 1893. The IFA was instrumental in creating the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to govern football on a national basis. The IFA organises the tournaments like the Calcutta Football League and the IFA Shield. Now, All India Football Federation (AIFF) administers the game in India.  
• Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB)
  It is the governing body for  cricket  in  West Bengal. Its headquarters is located in the famous  Eden Garden  Stadium. The  Cricket Association of Bengal  promotes and develops Cricket by conducting various League Tournaments, tournaments for the age group Under-13, Under-16, Under-19 and Under-21 categories. It also conducts National and International Tournaments.
• West Bengal Athletics Association
  Responsible for the administration and promotion of athletics events.
• Bengal Chess Association
  Formed in 2012, affiliated to the All India Chess Federation, promoting chess in West Bengal.