Rugby in Rajasthan

Reviewed profileAchievements, tournaments, coaches and FAQs on this page are compiled by hand from federation, government and press reporting, drawing on Rugby India (rugbyindia.in), World Rugby / Asia Rugby, Wikipedia — India national rugby union team. These are not cited to individual documents: we hold no per-claim source for them, so treat dates, counts and career records here as a summary rather than a reference. Sections we hold nothing for are left empty. Sport pages last reviewed as a set: September 2026.

Overview

Origin: 19th century England
Category: Team
Olympic discipline: Yes
Paralympic discipline: No
Central pathway: Olympic (TOPS eligible)
Athlete profiles on SportSupport: 8

Governance and status

Each field below is shown only where we hold a source for it; anything else reads “Not currently verified” rather than a guess. Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports recognition is granted year by year, so it is only ever shown with the year it applies to. Last reviewed: September 2026.

Indian governing/organising body: Rugby India
Ministry recognition: Indian Rugby Football Union — Annual recognition renewed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — as at 2026Source: Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — List of recognised National Sports Federations
International federation: Not currently verified
Khelo India inclusion: On the official Khelo India Games discipline list as "Rugby"Source: Sports Authority of India / Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — Discipline wise Participation in all editions of Khelo India Games (19th Edition) (2026-08-29)
TOPS eligibility: In scope — TOPS covers Olympic medal prospects
Olympic status: On the Olympic programme
Paralympic status: Not a Paralympic discipline

Rugby is listed on SportSupport in the team category. Its recorded origin is 19th century England. It is on the Olympic programme. We list Rugby India as the Indian governing/organising body for the sport.

Rugby is on the pathway that runs through India's national sports federations to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), with selection running through Rugby India against its published benchmarks. Being on this pathway is not itself a statement that the discipline is currently in TOPS — TOPS covers a Core Group and a Development Group chosen by the Mission Olympic Cell. Rugby appears on the official Khelo India Games discipline list as "Rugby", so junior talent identified by the discipline's selectors can be considered under Khelo India Talent Identification & Development (KITID). (Source: Sports Authority of India / Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — Discipline wise Participation in all editions of Khelo India Games (19th Edition).)

Scholarships & Funding

Central, state and private scholarships available for rugby athletes in India.

Khelo India Talent Identification & Development (KITID)
Monthly stipend (₹10,000 for selected Khelo India athletes), boarding, coaching and kit at accredited centres for talent identified through the Khelo India selection process (Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports). Applies only to disciplines on the official Khelo India Games list, and only to athletes it selects.
Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)
Central government scheme covering training, foreign exposure, equipment and an out-of-pocket allowance (up to ₹50,000/month) for athletes inducted by the Mission Olympic Cell. TOPS covers a Core Group and a Development Group of disciplines rather than every Olympic sport, and induction is decided athlete by athlete; we hold no current list confirming whether rugby is among the covered disciplines.
National Sports Development Fund (NSDF)
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports fund used to sponsor elite athletes' training, foreign coaches and equipment. Allocations are made case by case; we hold no record of NSDF support specific to rugby.
Pension for Meritorious Sportspersons
Lifetime monthly pension (₹20,000 for Olympic/World/Asian/CWG medallists; scaled by tier) for retired internationals who meet the scheme's medal criteria — Government of India.

Explore all government schemes →

Indian Players

8 profiles

Browse the full athlete directory →

Rules

Two teams of 15 (Rugby Union) or 13 (Rugby League) carry, pass (backwards only), and kick an oval ball, scoring by grounding it in the opponent's in-goal area (a try, 5 points) or kicking it through the posts. Matches run two 40-minute halves.

Authoritative rulebook: Rugby India. Age-group and school-level variations are published by SGFI and the state associations each season.

Positions

Typical roles across team sports. These are category-level descriptions, not a sourced rugby squad list.

Attackers / forwards
Primary scorers who operate closest to the opposition goal or scoring zone.
Midfielders / all-rounders
Link play between defence and attack; usually the highest work-rate positions.
Defenders
Deny the opposition space and possession in the defensive third.
Goalkeeper / last line
Specialist stopper with distinct kit and rules; the final line of defence.
Captain & vice-captain
On-field leadership, decision-making and communication with match officials.

Equipment

Standard kit and infrastructure required to train and compete in rugby at a federation-recognised event.

Oval rugby ball
Posts with crossbar
Mouthguard
Studded boots
Scrum caps (optional)

Governing/organising body

Body listed on SportSupport

Indian Rugby Football Union

Indian Rugby Football Union is the body we list as the Indian governing/organising body for Rugby. Its recognition status as we hold it: Annual recognition renewed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (as at 2026). Recognition is granted year by year, so read the federation profile for the source.

Origin: 19th century England
Olympic: Yes
Paralympic: No
Category: Team

IRFU profile →All federations →

Major Indian Events

Domestic competitions we hold a source for in rugby.

Rugby Premier League (RPL)
India's professional rugby sevens league, launched 2025 with 6 city-based franchises competing in a dual-gender format — the fourth major Indian team sport (after cricket's WPL, football's IWL, and others) to adopt this structure. Backed by Rugby India.
Rugby India domestic 15s and sevens competitions
National-level domestic tournaments organized by Rugby India (formerly the Indian Rugby Football Union) feeding the men's and women's national team pathway.

International Events

Continental and world-level competitions we hold a source for in rugby.

Asia Rugby Championship
India competes through Asia Rugby's tiered division system (Division 1/2/3, promotion and relegation) — India men's team is currently ranked 86th in World Rugby rankings (Aug 2025) and has not yet reached Division 1.
Rugby Sevens at the Olympics
Olympic sport since Rio 2016. Rugby India has stated a long-term goal of Olympic qualification by 2036.
Commonwealth Games / Asian Games
India's men's and women's sevens teams have both qualified for these multi-sport Games.

Leagues

Franchise and professional leagues catalogued for rugby. Full season data, champions and schedule filters are available in the sidebar.

Domestic · Since 2025
Rugby Premier League
India's first franchise Rugby 7s league, launched by Rugby India and GMR Sports with global stars alongside Indian internationals.
International · Since 2008
Asia Rugby Championship
Top-tier Asian XVs championship; India competes in the Asia Rugby Division series.
International · Since 2009
Asia Rugby Sevens Series
Annual continental Sevens series; the qualifying pathway to the World Rugby Sevens Series and the Asian Games.
Domestic · Since 1998
Senior National Rugby Championship
Rugby India's flagship national championship for state sides across XVs and Sevens formats.

All leagues →

International Players

Globally recognised rugby athletes to know outside India.

The international federation for rugby maintains the current world ranking — check the federation site for the up-to-date top names.

Career Options

Ways to build a career in rugby — on the field, on the sidelines and behind the scenes.

Playing pathway through Rugby India's national sevens and 15s programmes
Khelo India grassroots talent identification — notably reaching rural and economically disadvantaged communities in states like Odisha and West Bengal, a distinctive part of rugby's growth story in India
Rugby Premier League as a new professional platform for both men and women
Coaching certification through Rugby India and World Rugby coaching courses
Corporate partnership roles — e.g. Capgemini has sponsored the national sevens programme since 2022 — supporting athlete development and sports management careers

Explore sports careers →Coaches directory →

Related academies

1 listed

Kalinga Institute of SportsElite
Bhubaneswar, Odisha · Since 2010
Multi-sport elite complex hosting international hockey, athletics and football.

All academies →List your academy →

Government Schemes

2 listed

Central and state schemes that fund training, stipends and awards for rugby athletes and academies.

All government schemes →

FAQs

Common questions about rugby in India.

Who governs Rugby in India?▾

We list Rugby India as the Indian governing/organising body for Rugby, and state associations affiliated to it run age-group and state-level competition. We hold no current-year Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports recognition record for it, so this is not a statement that it is currently a recognised national sports federation — recognition is granted year by year.

Is Rugby an Olympic sport?▾

Yes, Rugby is on the Olympic programme. Athletes selected by Rugby India against its published criteria can be considered for TOPS funding.

How do I start playing Rugby in India?▾

The usual routes are a school team under the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), a college team under the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), or a private academy affiliated to your state association under Rugby India. Age-group state championships follow from there.

What government schemes support Rugby athletes?▾

TOPS supports a Core Group and a Development Group of disciplines selected by the Mission Olympic Cell, rather than every Olympic sport. We hold no current list confirming whether Rugby is among them, so we make no TOPS claim for it. State governments give cash awards to medallists at events they notify. Rugby appears on the official Khelo India Games discipline list as "Rugby", so athletes identified by the discipline's selectors can be considered under Khelo India Talent Identification & Development (KITID). Appearing on the list is not itself a grant of funding.

Rugby in every state & UT

Dedicated pages for Rugby in each Indian state and Union Territory — academies, schemes, athletes and how to start.