As of the date of printing this Issue and since the Paris 1900 Olympic Games, India has so far won 37 medals at the Olympics.
Also read Indian Athletes to Watch at the 2024 Paris Olympics
India’s Debut At The Olympics
India’s connection to the Olympics dates back to the Paris 1900 Olympics, the second modern Games. Norman Pritchard became the first Indian to take part in the Olympics. He had been on a holiday in France and decided to enter his name for the Games. Norman Pritchard ran in five athletics events in Paris. He won two silver medals at the Paris 1900 Olympic Games, thus winning India its first Olympic medal.
The First Indian Olympic Contingent
India sent its first official contingent of athletes to the Antwerp 1920 Olympics. The team comprised of Purma Bannerjee, Phadeppa Chaugule, Sadashiv Datar, Kumar Navale, and Dinkkarao Shinde.
India’s Olympic History In The Post Independence Era
After gaining independence in 1947, India participated in the London 1948 Olympics, by sending 86 athletes to participate in nine different sports – athletics, boxing, cycling, hockey, football, swimming, water polo, weightlifting, and wrestling. At the London 1948 Olympics, the Indian hockey team won its fourth-consecutive Olympic gold and first as an independent nation. The previous three hockey gold medals – 1928, 1932, and 1936 – came when India was under the British rule.
Men’s Field Hockey
India has won 12 Olympic gold medals in men’s field hockey. India had won its first gold medal at the Olympics in men’s field hockey at the Amsterdam 1928 Summer Games.
First Indian to win an individual medal
KD Jadhav won India’s first individual Olympic medal in the post independence era. He won a bronze medal in wrestling at the Helsinki 1952 Games.
First Indian to win an individual Gold medal
Abhinav Bindra clinched India’s first-ever individual gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games for Men’s 10m air rifle shooting.
First Female Indian to win an individual medal
Karnam Malleswari was the first Indian female athlete to win an Olympic medal. She won a bronze medal at the Sydney 2000 Olympics in weightlifting.
Individual Indian Athletes to win more than one medal
After independence, wrestler Sushil Kumar is the first Indian individual athlete to win more than one medal at the Olympics. He won a bronze medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympics and a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympics. Ace badminton player PV Sindhu is the first female athlete and the third Indian to win more than one medal at the Olympics. She won a silver medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics and a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Watch out for the next issue for a special report on India’s performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Also Watch full Video on The Iconic Journey Of The Olympic Torch
