Walking down the annals of Indian history, sports goods industry has proud antecedents, which go back to around more than 100 years. It is born out of India’s age-old nurtured and mastered skills in the areas of metal processing, leather crafts, wood crafts and a host of other industries of which these items are manifest.
India is fast emerging as an important supplier of quality sports goods and toys to the global markets. Indian sports goods are being exported to the more than 100 countries and are in demand in some of the most developed nations of the world. The industry is rapidly embracing new technology and adapting its products to keep up with the fast changing global trends. With robust and augmenting domestic market and fast expanding overseas markets, Indian leisure industry foresees its increasing presence in both Indian and International markets. The growth momentum of the Indian industry is supported by its has a huge reservoir of skilled workforce, well established supporting and ancillary industries and availability of basic raw materials required for the industry.
Indian sports goods and toys industry, a labour intensive industry, with many of the units falling under the purview of small scale manufacturing units, provides employment to the weaker sections of the society as well as to a large number of women. Issues of welfare and corporate social responsibility have been given prime importance by the industry. Landmark achievements are being made for adult education and overall up-liftmen of the industry’s workforce.
The major manufacturing centers of the Industry in India are in and around the following cities :
1. Jalandhar
2. Meerut
3. Delhi
4. Mumbai
5. Calcutta
6. Chennai
The main sports equipment exported from India include Inflatable balls, Protective Equipment for Cricket, Cricket Bats, Boxing Equipment, Cricket and Hockey Balls, Bladders. Fishing Equipment, Indoor games including Carrom Board and Chess, Protective Equipment for Hockey, Hockey Sticks. Indian manufacturers are exporting in their own brand names as well as O.E.M. suppliers to International brands.
