India at the Olympics

The Olympics are the world’s leading international sporting events, featuring both Summer and Winter Games. They bring together thousands of athletes from over 200 countries to compete in a variety of sports, fostering cooperation and friendship among nations. The modern Olympic Games are held every four years, with the Summer and Winter Games alternating every two years. Originally, the ancient Olympic Games were held in Ancient Greece, and they have evolved into a global celebration of athleticism and sportsmanship.

India at the Olympics – Before Independence

• 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, France: India first participated in the 1900 Summer Olympics as part of British-India (1858–1947), making it the first Asian country to join the Olympic Games. A single athlete, Norman Pritchard, represented India and earned two silver medals in athletics.

• 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium: India sent a contingent of six competitors including four athletes and two wrestlers with two support staff.

• 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France: The Indian team at the Paris Olympics included 14 athletes, with eight participating in athletics and four in tennis.

• 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, Netherlands: Eight athletes were chosen, consisting of seven track and field competitors and one swimmer. The Indian Hockey Federation, founded in 1925, sent the men’s hockey team to the 1928 Games. The hockey team secured India’s first Olympic gold medal in Amsterdam. This marked the first gold medal ever won by an Asian nation.

• 1932 Summer Olympics in in Los Angeles, California: The Indian delegation included the field hockey team along with five athletes. The hockey team secured gold medal.

• 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany: India dispatched a team that included the field hockey along with eight athletes, who participated in four different sports. The sole medal (Gold) was earned by the Indian field hockey team.

India at the Olympics-After independence

• 1948 Summer Olympics held at London: India sent its first team of 79 athletes, who participated in ten different sports. The Indian field hockey team won the lone medal, a gold, which was the first medal for India as an independent nation.

• 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland: The Indian team had 64 athletes, which included four women, and featured first-time participants in gymnastics and shooting events. Wrestler K. D. Jadhav secured a bronze medal, marking the first individual medal for independent India.

• 1956 Summer Olympics at Melbourne, Australia: India sent a team of 59 athletes. The sole medal was earned by the Indian field hockey team, which achieved a record sixth consecutive gold medal at the Games.

• 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy: The Indian team had 45 athletes competing. They secured one silver medal in field hockey after losing in the final, marking their first defeat in the Olympic Games since 1928.

• 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria: India made its Winter Olympics debut at the 1964 Winter Olympics competing in the men’s downhill event in alpine skiing event. Later that same year, during the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, India sent a team of 53 athletes, which included two divers who competed for the first time. The men’s field hockey team secured the gold medal, marking the only medal for the country at those Games.

• 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France: Jeremy Bujakowski was the sole representative for India. India sent its smallest team, with 25 athletes participating in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico. The sole Bronze medal was earned by the Indian field hockey team.

• 1972 Summer Olympics at Munich, Germany: 41 athletes from India participated in seven sports, with two of them competing in badminton for the first time. The only medal earned was a bronze, which was secured by the men’s field hockey team.

• 1976 Summer Olympics at Montreal, Canada: India sent 26 athletes, but for the first time since 1924, they did not win a medal.

• 1980 Summer Olympics at Moscow, Soviet Union (Russia): The Indian team had 76 athletes, making it the second largest group since independence, including first-time participants in equestrian events. The men’s hockey team was the only one to win a medal, achieving their eighth Olympic gold in this event, which set a record. This was also the final occasion the Indian field hockey team secured a gold medal at the Olympics.

• 1984 Summer Olympics Los Angeles, United States: India sent 48 athletes. India didn’t win a medal, but the Games are remembered for bringing Indian women athletes center stage. P. T. Usha lost the bronze medal in 400-meter hurdles by one-hundredth of a second.

• 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea: India sent a team of 46 athletes. India participated in seven events during the 1988 Summer Olympics, but did not secure any medals.

• 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. India sent a team of 52 athletes. India participated in 12 events during the 1992 Summer Olympics but failed to win a single medal.

• 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Nagano Prefecture, Japan: Shiva Keshavan was the only representative from India at the 1998 Winter Olympics.

India at the Olympics-21st century

• 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece: The Indian team for the 2004 Olympics comprised 73 athletes, with the sole medal being awarded to shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, who secured a silver medal in the men’s double trap event.

• 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England: The Indian team for the 2012 Summer Olympics had 83 members, which was the largest number up to that point. The nation secured six medals, which included two silver and four bronze. Sushil Kumar earned a silver medal. Shooter Vijay Kumar also won a silver medal in shooting. Among the bronze medal winners, Saina Nehwal achieved India’s first medal in badminton, and boxer Mary Kom became the first Indian woman to earn a medal in boxing. Other bronze medalists were shooter Gagan Narang and wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt.

• 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: The Indian team for the 2016 Summer Olympics, had a total of 117 competitors. The country secured two medals, which included one silver and one bronze. P. V. Sindhu made her mark as the first Indian woman to earn an Olympic silver medal and also became the youngest Indian woman to win a medal at the Olympics after clinching silver in badminton. Additionally, Sakshi Malik achieved a milestone by becoming the first Indian female wrestler to win an Olympic medal, taking home a bronze in the women’s freestyle 58 kg category.

• 2020 Summer Olympics in in Tokyo, Japan: India sent its biggest team ever, a total of 119 athletes, to the 2020 Summer Olympics. This was India’s best performance in a single Olympic Games, earning a total of seven medals: one gold, two silver, and four bronze. Neeraj Chopra made history by winning India’s first gold medal in athletics with his win in the men’s javelin throw event.

• Saikhom Mirabai Chanu won India’s first silver medal in weightlifting.
• P.V Sindhu won a bronze in women’s badminton.
• The men’s field hockey team won a bronze medal.
• Ravi Kumar Dahiya won a silver medal in men’s freestyle wrestling.
• Other bronze medalists included Lovlina Borgohain in women’s boxing.
• Bajrang Punia in men’s freestyle wrestling.

• 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France: The Indian team for the 2024 Summer Olympics had 110 athletes competing in 16 different sports. India secured a total of six medals, which included one silver and five bronze medals, with three of those coming from shooting events.
  • Neeraj Chopra earned the only silver medal for India in the men’s javelin throw competition.
  • Manu Bhaker achieved two bronze medals in the air pistol event and another bronze alongside Sarabjot Singh in the mixed pistol team event. She made history by being the first Indian to win two medals in a single Olympics since independence.
  • Swapnil Kusale also added another bronze medal in shooting.
  • The men’s field hockey team claimed a bronze medal as well.
  • Aman Sehrawat brought home a bronze medal for India in the men’s freestyle 57kg wrestling category.

Conclusion

India’s journey at the Olympics reflects a story of perseverance, talent, and growing global recognition. From beginnings to record-breaking performances in recent time, Indian athletes continue to inspire with their dedication and achievements across a range of disciplines. As the nation invests more in sports infrastructure, training, and youth development, the future looks promising for India at the Olympics.

With each edition, the country moves one step closer to becoming a sporting powerhouse on the world stage. Stay tuned as India prepares to shine even brighter in upcoming Olympic Games.