Polo, known as a game of kings, is no longer an exclusive sport of Indian royals and the Army. This high-profile game has now been taken over by many corporate and big business houses.

Horse riding sports have remained closely associated with the Indian nobility and polo became their favourite game.

Their passion for the game made India one of the leading nations in the world in the sport, and players like Rao Hanut Singh of Jodhpur and Sawai Man Singh of Jaipur were recognised as high-ranking international Polo players.

The 20th century remained a golden period of the polo game in India as Maharaja Sawai Man Singh led the Indian team to the world cup victory in 1957 in France. He had a passion for polo and built a world-class polo ground in Jaipur, next to Ram Bagh Palace, says Col Narendra Singh, a senior member of the Indi a Polo Association.

He says the popularity of the sport suffered because it was seen as a game of the elite and royals and it was difficult for the common man to afford high breed horses like Argentine ponies and Manipuri breed. The corporate sector has started patronising this sport now.

Earlier, there were teams from the National Defence Academy, Indian Military Academy, the President’s Bodyguard, Army Supply Corps (ASC), and Artillery and their players earned names and fame all over the world.

Brigadier V P Singh of the Cavalry unit was hailed as a top player in the Eighties along with Billy and Pickles Sodhi of the President’s Bodyguard. Col Narendra Singh, who was ranked as 4 Handicap, played for the ASI and was a technical expert for equestrian games in Rio de Janeiro. Now female players are also seen in action. The Mounted Cavalry unit of the army is getting mechanised.

Except for ASC and Cavalry, no other army team is now playing polo. Col Narendra Singh says there are only a handful of high-ranking players in the game today.

The top players are Shamsheer Ali and Simran Singh Shergill five-goal players. The average fee of a professional player is Rs 50,000-75,000 per week and the amount increases with a player’s higher ranking.

Jindal, Rajni gandha, Honda, Acrysil, Reid and Taylor, and other big companies are sponsoring the players.

Adhiriraj Singh, CEO of Equisport management, is organising events like Open Polo Championship and Indian Master Polo Tournament.

However, certain changes have been made in the format of the game. India is the birthplace of Polo and it was started in Manipur, where it was known as “Pulu.” The first polo club in India was established at Silchar in Assam in 1834