Manipur’s polo revival: where the world’s oldest team sport meets the modern game

In the Imphal valley, where polo was born on the sagol kangjei — literally ‘pony hockey’ — a new generation is remounting the ancestral game.

The Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association has revived village tournaments, breeding the hardy Manipuri pony that almost vanished a generation ago.

The revival has drawn international attention, with players from Argentina and England arriving to play on the same fields where kings once competed.