International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

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The Role of Missionary Educational Institutions in The Development of Modern Sports Culture in Colonial Calcutta

Author(s) Shiv Shankar Banerjee
Country India
Abstract The Charter Act of 1813 opened a new horizon in the socio-cultural life of the Indian subcontinent. For the first time, this Act constitutionally allowed Christian missionaries to conduct their activities. The educational institutions run by these missionaries were not merely centres of religious instruction but also played a significant role in introducing various aspects of European culture into Indian society, along with Western education.
Even before this, with the consolidation of power by the East India Company after 1757, the arrival of Europeans in India increased, and consequently, their cultural influence became visible in the European settlements across the country. Sports were one of the important aspects of European culture, and in this way, Western games paved their way into the Indian subcontinent. Although Indians were introduced to these modern European games, they had not yet become an integral part of Indian sports culture. At that time, Indian sports culture was largely confined to individual physical exercises such as wrestling, mugur-baj (club-swinging), and a few regional games like dang-guli. Competitive modern team sports were not yet prevalent.
However, in the missionary-established educational institutions, Western-style team sports such as football, cricket, rugby, and hockey, along with individual games like tennis and badminton, gradually gained popularity. These games not only promoted physical development but also fostered team spirit, discipline, and a competitive mindset.
In my essay, I shall attempt to present a brief discussion of how, under the influence of missionary educational institutions, a new sports culture gradually emerged in Calcutta and its surrounding areas during the colonial period; how students came into direct contact with Western culture through these new games; and how, subsequently, they played a pioneering role in laying the foundation of modern sports in Indian society.
Keywords Missionary institutions, Colonial Calcutta, Anglo-Indian culture, sports, Western influence.
Field Arts
Published In Volume 7, Issue 6, November-December 2025
Published On 2025-12-07
DOI https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i06.62861
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