Since the 1900 edition, India has won 41 medals at the Olympics. The Paris Olympics 2024 is set to end on August 11, 2024, with India's current medal tally at 5 bronze medals and 1 silver medal, placing them 64th in the overall standings. Since India's first appearance in the 1900 Paris Olympics, the country has seen legendary athletes and remarkable performances. From dominating in hockey to individual gold medals, each success has boosted national pride. Indian Olympic history not only reflects the hard work and resilience of Indian athletes but also sheds light on the challenges they have faced. As preparation for the 2028 Olympics is all set to begin soon, let's explore Indian Olympic history.
Let's take a look at India's
performance in Olympic history
The Indian Olympic History began
in 1900 when Norman Pritchard, the only participant from the country, won two
silver medals in athletics. The real breakthrough came with the Indian men’s
hockey team, which won six consecutive gold medals from 1928 and continued its
streak until 1956 post-independence.
Over the years, India's presence
in the Olympics has grown, and its athletes have delivered unforgettable
performances across various sports. Here are some major highlights of Indian
Olympic history:
Norman Pritchard - silver medal - men’s
200m hurdles - Paris 1900
India made its debut
in the Olympics with Norman Pritchard at the 1900 Paris Olympics. He became the
first Indian representative in the modern Olympics and won the country’s
first-ever medal (before independence) in the men’s 200m hurdles.
Norman Pritchard set
an Olympic record of 26.8 seconds in the semi-finals. In the final, USA’s Alvin
Kraenzlein ran a new Olympic record of 25.4 seconds to win the gold, while
Norman Pritchard secured the silver with a time of 26 seconds.
Norman Pritchard - silver medal - men’s
200m - Paris 1900
Norman Pritchard won
a silver medal in the men’s 200m sprint at the 1900 Paris Olympics. He finished
second in the semi-finals to qualify for the final, where Walter Tewksbury of
the USA won gold with a time of 22.2 seconds. Norman Pritchard finished in second
place, taking the silver with a time of 22.8 seconds.
Indian hockey men’s team, gold medal -
Amsterdam 1928
The Indian hockey
team scored 29 goals without reply in five matches to win its first Olympic
gold medal. The wizard Dhyan Chand scored 14 goals, including a hat-trick in
the final against the Netherlands. This was Indian hockey’s first Olympic
medal.
Indian hockey men’s team, gold medal -
Los Angeles 1932
In a reduced field,
the Indian hockey team defeated Japan 11-1. Roop Singh scored 10 goals, while
Dhyan Chand, known as the wizard, scored eight, leading to a 24-1 victory
against the USA. This win secured the team's second consecutive Olympic gold
medal.
Indian hockey men’s team, gold medal -
Berlin 1936
With Dhyan Chand as
the captain, the Indian hockey team achieved a hat-trick of Olympic gold medals
at the Berlin 1936 Olympics. During the tournament, India scored 38 goals in
five matches and only conceded one goal in the final against Germany. Dhyan Chand's
second hat-trick in Olympic finals helped lead India to an 8-1 victory.
Indian hockey men’s team, gold medal -
London 1948
The first gold medal
for India after independence unsurprisingly came from the Indian hockey team.
They regained their position atop the Olympic podium at the London 1948
Olympics. A new star emerged in Balbir Singh Sr as India advanced to the
semi-finals with 19 goals in three matches. India beat the Netherlands 2-1 in
the semi-finals. In the final, Balbir Singh’s two goals helped India beat hosts
Great Britain 4-0 and win a fourth Olympic gold.
Indian hockey men’s team, gold medal -
Helsinki 1952
The Indian hockey
team persevered through the midnight sun and cold conditions to secure their
fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal. Balbir Singh Sr. scored nine goals in
three matches, five of which were in the final against the Netherlands, setting
a record for the most goals by an individual in an Olympic men's hockey final.
KD Jadhav, bronze medal - men’s
bantamweight wrestling - Helsinki 1952
Wrestler Khashaba
Dadasaheb Jadhav became India’s first individual Olympic medalist with his
bronze in the men's freestyle bantamweight category. It was a well-deserved
reward for the hardworking wrestler, who had to work tirelessly to gather funds
for his Olympic trip and proved his skill on the biggest stage.
Indian hockey men’s team, gold medal -
Melbourne 1956
"India won
their sixth consecutive Olympic gold in hockey at the Melbourne 1956 games. The
team didn't concede a single goal throughout the tournament. Captain Balbir
Singh Sr. even played with a fractured right hand in the final as India
defeated Pakistan 1-0 in the gold medal match."
Indian hockey men’s team, silver medal -
Rome 1960
India's unparalleled
gold streak in hockey ended at Rome 1960 with a 1-0 loss to Pakistan in the
final, settling for a silver medal.
Indian hockey men’s team, gold medal -
Tokyo 1964
The Indian hockey
team quickly reclaimed the Olympic championship by winning gold at the Tokyo
1964 Olympics. During the group stages, India achieved four wins and two draws,
and then defeated Australia in the semi-finals. In the final match against Pakistan,
which marked the third consecutive final between the two teams, India emerged
victorious with a 1-0 score, courtesy of a penalty stroke goal.
Indian hockey men’s team, bronze medal -
Mexico City 1968
As hockey gained
more prominence in Europe, the Indian hockey team began to lose its foothold.
This decline was evident when they won the bronze at the Mexico 1968 Olympics.
India defeated Mexico and Spain, and received a walkover against Japan.
However, they were beaten 2-1 in the semi-finals by Australia. India then
defeated West Germany 2-1 to win the bronze medal, marking the first time they
finished outside the top two at the Olympics.
Indian hockey men’s team, bronze medal -
Munich 1972
At the Munich 1972
Olympics, the Indian hockey team secured their second consecutive Olympic
bronze medal. They won four matches and drew two leading up to the semi-finals
against Pakistan. The Israeli team's tragedy caused a delay in their semi-final
match, which disrupted their rhythm, and they ended up losing 2-0 to Pakistan.
However, they rallied to defeat the Netherlands 2-1, ultimately securing the
bronze medal.
Indian hockey men’s team, gold medal -
Moscow 1980
After finishing in
seventh place at the Montreal 1976 Olympics, which was the Indian hockey team’s
lowest rank at that time, the team was motivated to perform better at the
Moscow 1980 Olympics. With a reduced number of participating teams, India won
three matches and drew two matches in the preliminary rounds. In the final, the
Indian team defeated Spain 4-3 to claim the gold medal. This victory stands as
India's most recent gold in hockey at the Olympics.
Leander Paes, bronze medal - men’s
singles tennis - Atlanta 1996
India had gone
without a medal for three straight editions before a young Leander Paes brought
them to winning ways in 1996 with a bronze. After losing to Andre Agassi in the
semi-final, Paes went on to beat Fernando Meligani in the bronze medal match.
Karnam Malleswari, bronze medal - women’s
54kg weightlifting - Sydney 2000
Weightlifter Karnam
Malleswari won the bronze medal in the 54kg category, making her the first
Indian woman to win an Olympic medal. She lifted 110kg in the snatch category
and 130kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 240kg.
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, silver medal
- men’s double trap shooting - Athens 2004
Rajyavardhan Singh
Rathore, an armyman, was the first shooter to win an Olympic medal for India.
In the men’s double trap event, UAE’s Shaikh Ahmed Almaktoum took the lead. It
was up to Rathore to shoot both of his flying clay targets with his final attempt.
The army colonel successfully hit both targets, securing India's first
individual silver medal at the Games.
Abhinav Bindra, gold medal - men’s 10m
air rifle shooting - Beijing 2008
India's proudest
moment at the Olympics occurred during the Beijing 2008 Olympics when Abhinav
Bindra made history by winning a gold medal in the men's 10m air rifle event.
With a near-perfect final shot scoring 10.8, Bindra secured India's first
individual Olympic gold medal.
Vijender Singh, bronze medal - men’s
middleweight boxing - Beijing 2008
Vijender Singh made
history by becoming the first Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal. The athlete
from Haryana secured a bronze medal by defeating southpaw Carlos Góngora of
Ecuador 9-4 in the quarter-finals. However, he lost to Cuba's Emilio Correa in
the semi-finals with a score of 5-8.
Sushil Kumar, bronze medal - men’s 66kg
wrestling - Beijing 2008
After losing his
first match, Sushil Kumar won three bouts in the repechage round within 70
minutes to secure the bronze medal, marking India’s first Olympic wrestling
medal in 56 years.
Gagan Narang, bronze medal - men’s 10m
air rifle shooting - London 2012
After narrowly
missing out on the final round in the previous Olympics due to a countback,
Gagan Narang won the bronze medal in the men’s 10m air rifle at the London 2012
Olympics. With the world’s eyes trained on him, Gagan Narang played out a tense
final with China’s Wang Tao and Nicolo Campriani of Italy before finishing in
third place.
Sushil Kumar, silver medal - men’s 66kg
wrestling - London 2012
India’s flag-bearer
for the opening ceremony, Sushil Kumar, was India’s biggest medal hope in 2012.
He overcame severe body aches to reach the final before his body succumbed to
exhaustion. Sushil Kumar lost to Tatsuhiro Yonemitsu in the final and won the
silver, making him India’s only individual two-time Olympic medalist.
Vijay Kumar, silver medal - men’s 25m
rapid pistol shooting - London 2012
Before the Olympics,
very few people knew about shooter Vijay Kumar. However, he made history by
winning a silver medal in the 25m rapid pistol event. He was tied with China’s
Ding Feng going into the sixth round of the final, but Vijay Kumar outshot Feng
and headed into the last round. Unfortunately, he was unable to outperform
Cuba’s Leuris Pupo and had to settle for silver.
Mary Kom, bronze medal - women’s
flyweight boxing - London 2012
Mary Kom, a legend
even before her first Olympics at London 2012, won a bronze in the flyweight
category, marking the first edition of women’s boxing at the Games. She was
performing well until she was stopped by eventual champion Nicola Adams of
Great Britain in the semi-finals.
Yogeshwar Dutt, bronze medal - men’s 60kg
wrestling - London 2012
At the 2012 London
Olympics, wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, who had previously competed in three
Olympics, fulfilled his childhood dream by winning a bronze medal in the 60kg
category. He secured the medal by defeating North Korea’s Ri Jong Myong in the
last repechage round in just 1 minute and 2 seconds.
Saina Nehwal, bronze medal - women’s
singles badminton - London 2012
Saina Nehwal made
history as the first Indian badminton player to win an Olympic medal when her
opponent, China's Wang Xin, had to retire hurt during the semi-final match.
PV Sindhu, silver medal - women’s singles
badminton - Rio 2016
Saina Nehwal's
achievement propelled India's badminton narrative, with PV Sindhu going one
step further by reaching the final of the 2016 Summer Olympics before losing to
Spain's Carolina Marin in an intense, 83-minute duel.
Sakshi Malik, bronze medal - women’s 58kg
wrestling - Rio 2016
Sakshi Malik, a late
entrant to India’s Olympic contingent, made history by becoming the first
female Indian wrestler to win an Olympic medal. She secured the 58kg bronze by
defeating Kyrgyzstan’s Aisuluu Tynybekova with a score of 8-5. This victory
ensured that India had won an Olympic wrestling medal in three consecutive
Games.
Mirabai Chanu, silver medal - women's
49kg weightlifting - Tokyo 2020
Weightlifter Mirabai
Chanu, who had been disappointed in Rio 2016, redeemed herself by lifting a
total of 202kg to win the silver medal in the women's 49kg category. This
marked her first Olympic medal and made her the second Indian weightlifter,
after Karnam Malleswari, to win an Olympic medal. Furthermore, it was India's
first medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
Lovlina Borgohain, bronze medal - women’s
welterweight (64-69kg) - Tokyo 2020
At her Olympic
debut, Lovlina Borgohain won a bronze medal at Tokyo 2020 after losing in the
semi-finals to top seed Busenaz Surmeneli of Turkey in the women’s 69kg
category. Lovlina Borgohain defeated Chinese Taipei’s Nien-Chin Chen in the
quarter-finals, guaranteeing herself a medal.
PV Sindhu, bronze medal - women’s singles
badminton - Tokyo 2020
PV Sindhu, the
badminton queen, made history by becoming the first Indian woman and only the
second Indian athlete, after Sushil Kumar, to win two individual Olympic
medals. She secured the bronze medal in the women's singles by defeating
China’s He Bing Jiao with a score of 21-13, 21-15. This victory marked India’s
third medal at Tokyo 2020, surpassing their achievement at Rio 2016.
Ravi Kumar Dahiya, silver medal - men’s
57kg freestyle wrestling - Tokyo 2020
In the men’s 57kg
freestyle wrestling final, Ravi Kumar Dahiya lost to two-time world champion
Zavur Uguev of ROC, earning a silver medal. He secured his spot in the final by
defeating Nurislam Sanayev of Kazakhstan in the semifinals. Despite trailing 2-9
at one point, he staged an impressive comeback to secure the medal.
Indian hockey team, bronze medal - men’s
hockey - Tokyo 2020
After a 41-year
wait, the Indian men’s hockey team won an Olympic medal for the first time
since their gold at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Despite being 3-1 down at one
point, India made a big comeback to beat Germany 5-4 and claim the bronze
medal. This marks Indian hockey's third Olympic bronze medal, following those
won at the 1968 and 1972 Games, and their 12th Olympic medal overall.
Bajrang Punia, bronze medal - men’s 65kg
wrestling - Tokyo 2020
Wrestler Bajrang
Punia became the third Indian debutant to win a medal at Tokyo 2020. He beat
Kazakhstan’s Daulet Niyazbekov in the men’s 65kg freestyle wrestling playoff to
claim the bronze. This victory marked India's sixth medal of the Tokyo
Olympics, equaling their best-ever haul at a single edition of the Olympics.
Neeraj Chopra - gold medal - men’s
javelin throw athletics - Tokyo 2020
"Neeraj Chopra
became India's second individual Olympic champion after Abhinav Bindra, by
winning the men's javelin throw gold at Tokyo 2020. This was India's first
track-and-field medal at any Olympic Games. The medal was India's seventh at
Tokyo 2020, making it their best-ever haul at a single edition of the Olympics.
Neeraj Chopra threw 87.58m to clinch the gold medal."
Manu Bhaker - bronze medal - women’s 10m
air pistol shooting - Paris 2024
Manu Bhaker secured
India's first medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics by winning a bronze in the
women’s 10m air pistol shooting event. This marked her as India's first Olympic
shooting medalist. The day before, she had also become the first Indian woman
to qualify for an Olympic shooting final in 20 years. In the final, she
finished behind the Republic of Korea's pair of Oh Ye Jin and Kim Yeji.
Manu Bhaker/Sarabjot Singh - bronze medal
- mixed team 10m air pistol shooting - Paris 2024
At the Paris 2024
Summer Games, Manu Bhaker made history by becoming the first athlete from
independent India to win two medals at a single edition of the Olympics.
Following her bronze in the women's individual event, she partnered with
Sarabjot Singh to secure another bronze in the mixed team 10m air pistol event
by defeating the South Koreans. This achievement marked a significant milestone
for Indian shooting at the Games.
Swapnil Kusale - bronze medal - men’s 10m
50m rifle 3 positions shooting - Paris 2024
Swapnil Kusale won
India's third medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the most in shooting for the
country in a single edition, when he picked up a bronze in the men’s 10m 50m
rifle 3 positions event. These three medals surpassed the two won in shooting
at London 2012. However, it was the first medal in the 50m rifle 3P event at
the Olympics.
Indian hockey team, bronze medal - men’s
hockey - Paris 2024
The Indian men’s
hockey team secured its second successive Olympic medal by defeating Spain 2-1
in the bronze medal match. This marked India's fourth Olympic bronze medal,
following victories in the 1968, 1972, and 2020 Games, and their 13th Olympic
medal overall. Captain Harmanpreet Singh emerged as India's standout performer
in Paris, scoring 10 goals.
Neeraj Chopra - silver medal - men’s
javelin throw athletics - Paris 2024
Neeraj Chopra was
unable to defend his men's javelin throw title at the Paris 2024 Olympics. His
best throw of 89.45m earned him the silver medal, while Pakistan's Arshad
Nadeem claimed the gold with an Olympic record-setting throw of 92.97m. Despite
this, Neeraj's achievement made him the most successful individual Olympian.
Aman Sehrawat - bronze medal - men’s 57kg
freestyle wrestling - Paris 2024
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Aman Sehrawat secured India's second consecutive Olympic medal in the men’s 57kg freestyle wrestling event, clinching a bronze. He achieved this by defeating Darian Cruz of Puerto Rico with a score of 13-5 in the bronze match. Prior to the semi-finals, Aman had an impressive performance, including a victory over former world champion Zelimkhan Abakarov of Albania.
Indian Olympic winner's name list
|
India's Olympic medal winners |
|||
|
Athlete |
Medal |
Event |
Olympics |
|
Norman Pritchard |
Silver |
Men's 200m |
Paris 1900 |
|
Norman Pritchard |
Silver |
Men's 200m hurdles |
Paris 1900 |
|
Indian hockey team |
Gold |
Men's hockey |
Amsterdam 1928 |
|
Indian hockey team |
Gold |
Men's hockey |
Los Angeles 1932 |
|
Indian hockey team |
Gold |
Men's hockey |
Berlin 1936 |
|
Indian hockey team |
Gold |
Men's hockey |
London 1948 |
|
Indian hockey team |
Gold |
Men's hockey |
Helsinki 1952 |
|
KD Jadhav |
Bronze |
Men's bantamweight wrestling |
Helsinki 1952 |
|
Indian hockey team |
Gold |
Men's hockey |
Melbourne 1956 |
|
Indian hockey team |
Silver |
Men's hockey |
Rome 1960 |
|
Indian hockey team |
Gold |
Men's hockey |
Tokyo 1964 |
|
Indian hockey team |
Bronze |
Men's hockey |
Mexico City 1968 |
|
Indian hockey team |
Bronze |
Men's hockey |
Munich 1972 |
|
Indian hockey team |
Gold |
Men's hockey |
Moscow 1980 |
|
Leander Paes |
Bronze |
Men's singles tennis |
Atlanta 1996 |
|
Karnam Malleswari |
Bronze |
Women's 54kg weightlifting |
Sydney 2000 |
|
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore |
Silver |
Men's double trap shooting |
Athens 2004 |
|
Abhinav Bindra |
Gold |
Men's 10m air rifle shooting |
Beijing 2008 |
|
Vijender Singh |
Bronze |
Men's middleweight boxing |
Beijing 2008 |
|
Sushil Kumar |
Bronze |
Men's 66kg wrestling |
Beijing 2008 |
|
Sushil Kumar |
Silver |
Men's 66kg wrestling |
London 2012 |
|
Vijay Kumar |
Silver |
Men's 25m rapid pistol
shooting |
London 2012 |
|
Saina Nehwal |
Bronze |
Women's singles badminton |
London 2012 |
|
Mary Kom |
Bronze |
Women's flyweight boxing |
London 2012 |
|
Yogeshwar Dutt |
Bronze |
Men's 60kg wrestling |
London 2012 |
|
Gagan Narang |
Bronze |
Men's 10m air rifle shooting |
London 2012 |
|
PV Sindhu |
Silver |
Women's singles badminton |
Rio 2016 |
|
Sakshi Malik |
Bronze |
Women's 58kg wrestling |
Rio 2016 |
|
Mirabai Chanu |
Silver |
Women's 49kg weightlifting |
Tokyo 2020 |
|
Lovlina Borgohain |
Bronze |
Women's welterweight boxing |
Tokyo 2020 |
|
PV Sindhu |
Bronze |
Women's singles badminton |
Tokyo 2020 |
|
Ravi Kumar Dahiya |
Silver |
Men's 57kg wrestling |
Tokyo 2020 |
|
Indian hockey team |
Bronze |
Men's hockey |
Tokyo 2020 |
|
Bajrang Punia |
Bronze |
Men's 65kg wrestling |
Tokyo 2020 |
|
Neeraj Chopra |
Gold |
Men's javelin throw |
Tokyo 2020 |
|
Manu Bhaker |
Bronze |
Women's 10m air pistol
shooting |
Paris 2024 |
|
Manu Bhaker-Sarabjot Singh |
Bronze |
Mixed team 10m air pistol
shooting |
Paris 2024 |
|
Swapnil Kusale |
Bronze |
Men's 50m rifle 3 positions
shooting |
Paris 2024 |
|
Indian hockey team |
Bronze |
Men's hockey |
Paris 2024 |
|
Neeraj Chopra |
Silver |
Men's javelin throw |
Paris 2024 |
|
Aman Sehrawat |
Bronze |
Men's 57kg wrestling |
Paris 2024 |
Paris 2024 Olympics medals table
|
Rank |
Country |
Gold |
Silver |
Bronze |
Total |
|
1 |
China |
33 |
27 |
23 |
83 |
|
2 |
USA |
33 |
39 |
39 |
111 |
|
3 |
Australia |
18 |
16 |
14 |
48 |
|
4 |
France |
14 |
20 |
22 |
56 |
|
4 |
Great Britain |
14 |
20 |
23 |
57 |
|
64 |
India |
0 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
MCQs and Answers
The Olympic motto, 'Citius, Altius, Fortius',
translates to:
A. Faster,
Higher, Stronger
B. Peace,
Unity, Harmony
C. Excellence,
Friendship, Respect
D. Courage,
Determination, Victory
Answer: A.
Faster, Higher, Stronger
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is
headquartered in:
A. Lausanne,
Switzerland
B. Paris,
France
C. Athens,
Greece
D. New York,
USA
Answer: A.
Lausanne, Switzerland
Which Indian state hosted the 36th National
Games of India, often referred to as the 'Indian Olympics'?
A. Gujarat
B. Kerala
C. Haryana
D. Maharashtra
Answer: A.
Gujarat
The concept of the Olympic Truce, a period of
peace during the Games, originated in:
A. Ancient
Greece
B. The Roman
Empire
C. The Middle
Ages
D. The Modern
Era
Answer: A.
Ancient Greece
Which country has hosted the Summer Olympics
the most number of times?
A. United
States
B. United
Kingdom
C. France
D. Greece
Answer: A.
United States
The first Indian to win an individual Olympic
gold medal was:
A. Abhinav
Bindra
B. Rajyavardhan
Rathore
C. Leander Paes
D. Sushil Kumar
Answer: A.
Abhinav Bindra
The Olympic Games are held once every:
A. 2 years
B. 3 years
C. 4 years
D. 5 years
Answer: C. 4
years
The Paralympic Games are held for:
A. Athletes
with disabilities
B. Young
athletes
C. Athletes
from developing countries
D. Athletes
from specific sports
Answer: A.
Athletes with disabilities
The 'White Olympics' refers to the:
A. Summer
Olympics
B. Winter
Olympics
C. Youth
Olympics
D. Paralympic
Games
Answer: B.
Winter Olympics
The Olympic flag consists of five interlinked
rings. What do these rings symbolize?
A. The five
continents
B. The five
Olympic sports
C. The five
founding countries of the IOC
D. The five
Olympic values
Answer: A. The
five continents
Which of the following is NOT an Olympic sport?
A. Cricket
B. Badminton
C. Fencing
D. Judo
Answer: A.
Cricket
The term 'Olympic Village' refers to:
A. The host
city's main stadium
B. A temporary
residential area for athletes
C. A training
ground for athletes
D. The
headquarters of the IOC
Answer: B. A
temporary residential area for athletes
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