The sport suited the agile and powerful built punjabis who came out triumphant in the first Championship on All India basis, held in New Delhi in 1934 under auspices of the Indian Olympic Association. Before participating in the Championship, a regular Basketball Association had been formed with Sh. G.L. Sayal as its Hony. Secretary. Punjab continued to dominate this game and won the top honours, when the next Championship was held at Lahore in 1936. The success was repeated at Patiala in 1944.

Mr. H.B.S. Richie, an ardent lover of the game revived Punjab Basketball Association after partition with himself as its Secretary and Mr. G.D. Sondhi (the Founder of the Asian Games) as its President. Despite various handicaps the Association continued to send its teams to the National Championship held at Lucknow in 1948 and Bombay in 1950. From 1951 onwards the Basketball Federation of India decided to make the Championship an annual affair. Punjab once again established its superiority and won the Championship held at Ludhiana that year. As a result of this, Punjab players Ranbir Chopra, Dharampal Chum, Davinder Bahri and Gur Parshad were selected to represent India in the 1st Asian Games in 1951. Ranbir Chopra had the distinction to lead the Indian Team. Mr. Ashwani Kumar was elected President of the Punjab Basketball Association in 1952 and Mr. R.D. Sayal became its Secretary, taking over from Mr. H.B.S. Richie, who by then had settled down in Delhi. The Association has since been sending teams regularly for participation in National championships.

During the period, Punjab produced some brilliant players and organisers of national standard. In 1953, when an Indian Basketball Team was sent to Pakistan, Narinder Singh and Om Parkash were selected as its members and