The dust has finally settled over the Maharaja Gaj Singh Foundation Sports Ground as the final chukker of the Maharaja of Jodhpur Golden Jubilee Cup echoed across the Blue City on Saturday, drawing the Jodhpur Polo Season to a triumphant close.
From packed stands to world-class players thundering across lush grass fields, the polo season in Jodhpur once again lived up to its reputation as the most vibrant and prestigious chapter of the Indian Polo Season.
This six-week extravaganza, ran from December 10, 2025, to January 17, 2026, as the city hosted five major tournaments — from Low Goal competitions to elite 8-Goal championships — along with 10 one-day exhibition events involving the Indian armed forces, international women’s teams, and global brands like Hermès.
Firstpost witnessed the action firsthand in December under Jodhpur’s azure skies, and can attest that there is something transcendental about polo here.
Major tournaments:
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Low Goal (Out of Hat): December 10-12 — Won by Team Mehrangarh
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Umaid Bhawan Palace Cup (4 Goal): December 14-17 — Won by Team Umaid Bhawan Palace
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HH Maharaja of Jodhpur Cup (8 Goal): December 23-28 — Won by Optiemus Achievers
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Rajputana & Central India Cup (8 Goal): January 4-11 — Won by Optiemus Achievers
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Maharaja of Jodhpur Golden Jubilee Cup (8 Goal): January 12-17 — Won by Jodhpur Polo
One-day exhibition matches:
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British Polo Day: December 18 — British Polo Day Royal Salute vs Jodhpur Polo
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Indian Air Force Longewala Polo Cup: December 21 — Desert Warriors vs Dagger Warriors
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Bhanwar Baijilal Vaara Rajye Polo Cup: December 25 — Santa’s Steeds vs Christmas Cavaliers
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International Ladies Polo Cup: December 28 — Mandore Knights vs Mehran Warriors
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Maharaja Sardar Singh Cup: December 29 — Lancers vs Sardar Rasala
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Indian Navy Admiral’s Polo Cup: January 5 — Vikrant Warriors vs Vikramaditya Riders
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Army Commander’s Cup: January 6 — 61 Cav BZS School vs Navy Polo Central Academy
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Maj. Th. Sardar Singh Jasol Memorial Cup: January 7 — Navy Polo Central Academy vs Carysil Suhana
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The Hermès Cup: January 8 — Jodhpur Polo vs Rajasthan Polo Club
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The Abu Seir Cup: January 14 — Suhana Carysil vs Optiemus Achievers
How Jodhpur Polo became the ‘Mecca’ of Indian polo
Polo’s journey in Jodhpur traces back to the sport’s ancient Persian origins as chogan, a game of mounted warriors that reached India via Mughal emperors and blossomed under Rajput rulers.
Jodhpur, heart of the Marwar kingdom, emerged as a powerhouse in the 19th century.
Dr. Shakti Singh, a Jodhpur-based historian, author of eight books on Marwar history, and tour guide for 25 years, explained to Firstpost, “Jodhpur is known globally for its polo. Jodhpur’s 19th century Maharaja Takht Singh’s paintings can be found where he used to play polo with his queens. At that time, it was called Chovgan.”
The legacy was only boosted under subsequent rulers. Maharaja Jaswant Singh II [1838-1895], eldest son of Takht Singh [1819-1873], alongside his younger brother Sir Pratap Singh [1845-1922], elevated Jodhpur polo to international acclaim.
Behind Sir Pratap’s bungalow lies the Chammi Polo ground, a hallowed site that hosted top-class matches where Jodhpur teams dominated global rivals.
At its peak, Jodhpur boasted six to seven polo grounds: Jalam Vilas, Kishore Bagh, Chammi, and two central ones now overtaken by residential colonies.
These fields, some planted with premium Australian grass, witnessed triumphs over international competitors, cementing Marwar’s reputation.
His Highness Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Marwar-Jodhpur [born 1948], the backbone of modern polo here and its biggest patron-in-chief, grew up immersed in these tales.
Speaking to Firstpost, he shared, “I’ve grown up with stories of polo, of especially my grandfather, Sir Pratap, and all that. And also I’ve seen the trophies and interacted with the greats like Colonel Maharaj Prem Singh [1915-2000] and many others. I’ve known them all. They were the backbone of the Indian team.”
Legends like Maharaja Umaid Singh [1903-1947] and Maharaja Hanwant Singh [1923-1952] — both international players — carried the torch, though tragedies struck early: Umaid’s untimely death and Hanwant at age 28.
Before them, the deaths of Maharaja Sardar Singh [1880-1911] and Maharaja Sumer Singh [1898-1918].
During this vacuum, Jodhpur’s best talent began to drift away.
“All the good players of Jodhpur started playing from Jaipur at the time of Sawai Man Singh,” said Dr. Shakti Singh. He recounts a poignant historical anecdote to Firstpost.
“Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh had two queens from Jodhpur… during their time, the team of Jaipur always lost to the players of Jodhpur. But when Maharaja Hanwant Singh died, top players like Maharaj Prem Singh and Lt. Col. Kishen Singh [Arjuna awardee 1963] started playing for Jaipur. But even then, Jaipur would sometimes lose.”
“After the losses, the baffled Maharaja of Jaipur was told that while he had the players, he didn’t have our horses. So, they took a lot of horses from Marwar, and since then, Jaipur has been shining on the international stage.”
By the early 20th century,
Jodhpur’s excellence peaked. In 1925, the Jodhpur polo team toured England, clinching multiple victories — a feat Inderjeet Singh Nathawat, secretary of Jodhpur Polo, highlighted to Firstpost.
“Jodhpur has been associated with Polo for a long period of time. In 1925, the Jodhpur polo team even went to England and won many competitions there. Jodhpur has given numerous players to polo.”
But then came the “slump”. Jodhpur needed someone to plant the seeds of a revival.
How Jodhpur Polo rose from the ashes
Post-independence, polo waned nationwide amid urbanisation and shifting priorities. Jodhpur’s grass grounds succumbed to development, leaving only the Chammi ground.
The sport migrated to Jaipur,
where Sawai Man Singh [1912-1970] lured Jodhpur talent.
Dr. Shakti Singh reflected, “The time in between was very difficult for Jodhpur. Because polo again became something that was unheard of here.”
Enter Maharaja Gaj Singh II.
Despite his social, cultural, and business commitments, Gaj Singh who is more fondly known as Bapji [meaning ‘father’] in the region, nurtured a keen interest in equestrian sports, aiming to re-establish Jodhpur as a premier centre for equitation and polo.
In 1993, he relaunched the Jodhpur team, which soon marked its presence on the Indian circuit.
A milestone came in March 2000, when the new grass polo ground — created and maintained by the Maharaja Gaj Singh Sports Foundation — hosted two Jodhpur teams, Delhi, Kashmir, and Kenya squads.
It marked the first serious polo in Jodhpur in nearly half a century, a resounding success.
The heir apparent, Yuvraj Shivraj Singh [born 1975], amplified this momentum. A keen player who competed globally in England, Europe, Australia, Brazil, South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Switzerland, and Singapore, he thrust Jodhpur back onto the map.
Maharaja Gaj Singh told Firstpost, “Then my son took to the game and he spread it, took teams across the world and put Jodhpur back on the map and we had a number of visiting clubs from other countries also here.”
Tragedy struck with Yuvraj Shivraj Singh’s severe accident, threatening progress. Yet resilience prevailed. “Unfortunately, he had this very bad accident and that set us back, but we didn’t stop polo because it’s part of the tradition and the legacy of Jodhpur,” the Maharaja said.
Dr. Shakti Singh echoed this, “Even after Maharaja Gaj Singh’s son Yuvraj Shivraj Singh’s accident, the Maharaja still promoted the sport. At the time we felt polo in Jodhpur was at a close but he proved everyone wrong.”
For the past 10-15 years, at his own expense, Maharaja Gaj Singh has hosted world-class players via the Maharaja Gaj Singh Polo Foundation, including British teams.
That resilience has paid off. The 2025-26 Jodhour polo season, which concluded yesterday, was a testament to this growth. Every tournament this year featured at least 5-6 top-class teams — a commendable feat for Indian polo today.
Dr. Shakti Singh praised to Firstpost, “This credit goes not only to him for polo, but also for attracting the majority of the tourism in the city. When he was the chairman of the Rajasthan Tourism Department, he propagated tourism to the whole of Rajasthan. Because today, not only with polo, but also the culture that he has promoted with tourism, for example the Jodhpuri Safa, Jodhpuri Coat, etc. He has promoted everything vital to the city.”
What sets the ‘Blue City’ apart
Jodhpur’s revival has now peaked with the 2025-26 season, transforming December into the country’s ‘Most Happening Season’ in the polo community.
Players, patrons, and businesses flock annually, drawn by top-tier competition on the pristine Maharaja Gaj Singh Foundation Sports Ground. All
major tournaments featured 5-6 teams — a commendable feat amid Indian polo’s current quality slump.
Maharaja Gaj Singh beamed to Firstpost about the standards. “It’s a free and friendly game we play and we are fortunate to have six teams participating in the tournaments and the standards have been very good. So I’m very happy with how far we’ve come.”
“In addition to that we have our pre-season polo games for the youngsters. It’s very good to see the youngsters coming up. And there are now youngsters playing in the main tournaments. Each team has one youngster. So that’s very encouraging.”
International star Gerardo Mazzini, an Argentine +4 handicap player (once +7) with over 20 years of experience playing in India, called it a highlight.
“Jodhpur is one of the peak times for me in the Indian polo season. The level here is picking up with the field getting better, and polo in general is getting better,” he told Firstpost.
Jodhpur distinguishes itself from circuits like Delhi through its intimate, inclusive vibe.
“I think it’s just the atmosphere here. The people who come, they all have keen interest in polo and everything is on the ground and everyone intermingles with each other and it’s a friendly atmosphere,” Maharaja Gaj Singh told Firstpost.
Grassroots efforts counter India’s polo downturn. “We are regularly promoting young players in Jodhpur and giving them chukkers to play here,” Nathawat said.
Ties with Mayo College, polo’s junior cradle, bring in boys alongside teams like recent English schoolboys.
“We are in close touch with Mayo College, which is the cradle of junior polo now. So the boys from Mayo College came and played. We also had a team of school boys from England come just now and play. So that was a good exposure for them,” the Maharaja noted.
Mazzini urged broader promotion.
“They need to promote this sport a little bit more here. I would love to see polo schools because this sport is growing all over the world and India has a lot of potential to play better polo.”
Opining about the importance of cross-border promotion, he said, “Polo was born in India so many years ago and the English took polo from here to promote it all over the world. Now we are seeing more horses being brought to India from Argentina. That’s why it is also picking up and getting more competitive.”
The passion of the local crowd is the final ingredient. While polo in many parts of the world is a quiet, aristocratic affair, in Jodhpur, the stands are packed.
Dr. Shakti Singh observed, “I have been seeing polo in Jodhpur for the last 10 years and before there was very little crowd earlier but now if we see today, the packed crowds you are seeing is due to the passion of the people towards Polo, and this is only increasing.”
As the players pack their kits and the ponies return to their stables, the legacy of Sir Pratap and the vision of Maharaja Gaj Singh II seem more secure than ever.
As the Maharaja affirmed, “I’ve always felt that this is part of Jodhpur’s legacy. So more than just polo, it’s again one of the events and activities that people look forward to in Jodhpur. It’s connected with Jodhpur. So it’s a kind of a promotion of Jodhpur as a cultural and sporting centre.”
Nathawat remains optimistic.
“We will be able to revive the early days of Jodhpur where we have given World Cup players to the country.”
The Indian Polo Season 2025-26 now moves to Jaipur.
At Firstpost, we extensively covered Indian polo through the 2024-25 season, first focusing on the
_origins of the sport,_ and then diving deep into the
_role of the Indian Armed Forces in reviving polo_ as well as the
_challenges the sport faces_ in the subcontinent.
Now we are in the middle of a new series of features focusing on the 2025-26 Indian polo season.
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