India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir were the key players in securing India their first cricket World Cup title since 1983.
Set a target of 274 by Sri Lanka, the pair combined for a partnership of 106. Dhoni grabbed 91 not out while Gambhir chipped in with 97, steadying the ship after the loss of early wickets.
Sri Lanka earned their total for the loss of six wickets, led by a wonderful 103 not out from Mahela Jayawardene.
Sri Lanka won the toss, decided to bat and then started slowly, perhaps too slowly considering the quality of the wicket.
Jayawardene had a hand in three half-century partnerships but neither opener Tillakaratne Dilshan or Upul Tharanga did well. Tharanga went for just two runs, bowled by Zaheer Khan.
Nuwan Kulasekera and Thisara Perera closed out the innings well, combining for 54 at the end but India began the chase in disastrous fashion.
Virender Sehwag was bowled second ball by Lasith Malinga and he then took out the other opener, home hero Sachin Tendulkar, silencing the raucous crowd.
That brought Gambhir to the crease and he soon settled in with Dhoni, who hit the winning runs with an emphatic six with ten balls left.
Appearing at his sixth, and final, tournament, Tendulkar was overjoyed with the win.
"I couldn't have asked for anything better than this, a World Cup win is the ultimate and experiencing it is the proudest moment of my life," the 37-year-old said.
"It is never too late. Thanks to all my team-mates, without such fabulous performances and such consistency (from them) it would never have happened.”