Which sport originating in India was originally called Poona?

BRY2K

Badminton. There was a child's game called battledore and shuttlecock, in which two players hit a feathered shuttlecock back and forth with tiny rackets. The game was called "Poona" in India during the 18th Century, and British Army Officers stationed there took the Indian version back to England in the 1860s. The new sport was launched at a party given in 1873 by the Duke of Beaufort at his country place, "Badminton" in Gloucestershire. It quickly spread from England to the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and made big strides in Europe. Badminton is a game that somewhat resembles tennis and volleyball. It involves the use of a net, lightweight rackets, and a shuttlecock, which is a cork ball fitted with stabilizing feathers. http://www.bbc.co.uk/guernsey/content/articles/2005/07/10/ig05_badminton_feature.shtml Apr 20 08, 2:20 PM