India first participated at the Olympic Games in 1900, becoming the first Asian nation to do so. Norman Pritchard represented the country and won two medals, both silver, in athletics. The nation first sent a team to the Summer Olympic Games in 1920 and has participated in every Summer Games since then. India has competed at several Winter Olympic Games after its debut in 1964.
Indian athletes have won 41 medals, all at the Summer Games. At a period of time during the 1900s, the Indian men's field hockey team was dominant in the Olympic Games, winning eleven medals in twelve Olympics between 1928 and 1980 including eight gold medals of which six were won consecutively from 1928 to 1956. India's best performance happened at the 2020 Games, with seven medals including a gold and two silver.
History
Before independence
Indian field hockey team that won the gold medal at 1928 Olympics
India made its first appearance at the 1900 Summer Olympics as part of British India (1858-1947), becoming the first Asian nation to participate in the Olympic Games.[1] A lone athlete Norman Pritchard represented the country and won two silver medals in athletics.[2] India was classified 19th in the overall medal table, which represents its best placement till date.[3] India did not compete in the next three Summer Olympic Games.[4] At the behest of then Governor of BombayGeorge Lloyd, Indian businessman Dorabji Tata secured representation for British India at the International Olympic Committee, enabling it to independently participate in the 1920 Summer Olympics. India sent a contingent of six competitors including four athletes and two wrestlers with two support staff.[5][6][7] The Indian Olympic movement was then established during the 1920s.[8] In 1923, a provisional All India Olympic Committee was formed, and in February 1924, the All India Olympic Games (later National Games of India) were held to select a team for the 1924 Summer Olympics at Paris. The Indian delegation at the Paris Olympics consisted of 14 competitors including eight in athletics and four in tennis, led by team manager Harry Buck.[9][10]
In 1927, the provisional Indian Olympic Committee was recognized by the International Olympic Committee and formally became the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).[11] The organization was formed to promote the development of sports in India, host the national games, and select teams for the Olympics.[12] For the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, it selected eight competitors, which included seven in athletics and one swimmer.[13] The Indian Hockey Federation, which had been established earlier in 1925, sent the men's team to the 1928 Games. The hockey team won India's first gold medal in the Olympics at Amsterdam.[14] This was the first gold medal won by any nation from Asia at the modern Olympic Games.[15][16] For the 1932 Games, the Indian contingent consisted of the field hockey team and five athletes.[17] For the subsequent 1936 Games, India sent a contingent consisting of the field hockey team and eight athletes, who competed in four sports.[18] The only medals in the last two Games came from the Indian field hockey team, which won three consecutive gold medals from 1928 to 1936.[19] The victory run included the largest victory margin in Olympics history after India defeated United States 24–1 in 1932 and the largest margin of victory in an Olympic final during the 8–1 defeat of Germany in the final in 1936.[20][21]
After independence
Indian field hockey team that won the first gold medal after independence at the 1948 London Olympics
India gained its independence in 1947, it sent its first contingent as a independent country for the 1948 Summer Olympics held at London. The Indian contingent consisted of 79 athletes, who competed across ten sports and included country's first participation in arts, boxing, cycling, football, and water polo events.[22] The Indian field hockey team won the lone medal, a gold, which was the first medal for India as an independent nation.[23] The 1952 Summer Olympics marked the first time India sent women competitors to the Games.[24] The Indian contingent consisted of 64 competitors including four women with first time participants in gymnastics and shooting events.[25] Wrestler K. D. Jadhav won a bronze medal, the first individual medal for independent India.[26] India sent a contingent of 59 competitors for the 1956 Games at Melbourne and the only medal came from the Indian field hockey team, which won a then record sixth straight gold medal in a single event at the Games.[19][27] The Indian contingent consisted of 45 competitors for the next Summer Olympics at Rome.[28] The country won a single silver medal from field hockey after the team lost in the final, which was its first loss in the Olympic Games since the 1928.[29]
The Indian delegation for the 1980 Summer Olympics at Moscow consisted of 76 competitors, the second largest since independence with first time participants in the equestrian event.[49] The only medal again came from the men's hockey team which won their record extending eighth Olympic gold in a single event.[50] This was also the last time the Indian field hockey team won the gold medal at the Olympics.[51] India sent 48, 46 and 52 athletes to the subsequent three Summer Olympics in 1984, 1988, and 1992 respectively, but failed to win a single medal across the three Olympic Games.[52][53][54] In between, India returned to compete in the 1988 Winter Olympics after a gap of nearly 20 years. The Indian contingent consisted of three athletes including the first women participant Shailaja Kumar.[42] The country entered two athletes to the 1992 Winter Olympics before missing the subsequent 1994 Winter Olympics.[42] India entered 49 competitors across 13 events at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.[55] Tennis player Leander Paes won a bronze medal in the men's singles event for the country's first Olympic medal in nearly 16 years and became the first Indian individual medalist since 1952.[56] India's lone participant in the subsequent 1998 Winter Olympics was Shiva Keshavan, who would become the Indian with most appearances in the Olympic Games after his sixth appearance in 2018.[42][57]
21st century
Sushil Kumar (left) became the first Indian athlete to win multiple individual Olympic medals since independence.
The Indian contingent for the 2012 Summer Olympics consisted of 83 members, the highest till then.[69][70] The country won six medals including two silver and four bronze, the highest count of medals as of then.[71] Sushil Kumar won a silver medal to become the first Indian since independence with multiple individual Olympic medals.[72] Shooter Vijay Kumar won the other silver medal in shooting.[73] Amongst the bronze medalists, Saina Nehwal won India's first medal in badminton and boxer Mary Kom became the first Indian woman to win a medal in boxing.[74][75] Other bronze medalists included shooter Gagan Narang and wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt.[71][76] In December 2022, the Indian Olympic Association was suspended by the International Olympic Committee due to government interference in the autonomy of the country's National Olympic Committee (NOC). Due to the suspension, three Indian athletes entered the 2014 Winter Olympics as Independent Olympic Participants.[77] The suspension was revoked when the games were underway and two competitors resumed the competition under the Indian flag.[78]
Mary Kom won the first medal for India in the women's boxing event at the 2012 Games.
The Indian contingent for the 2024 Summer Olympics consisted of 110 competitors across 16 sports.[108][109] India won six medals in total including one silver and five bronze, three of which came from the shooting events.[110] Chopra won the only silver medal for India in the men's javelin throw event and became the first Indian individual medalist to have won a gold and silver at the Olympics.[111] Manu Bhaker won two bronze medals including the first Indian medal at the Games in the air pistol event and another along with Sarabjot Singh in the mixed pistol team event. She became the first Indian since independence to win two medals in a single Olympics. Swapnil Kusale then won another bronze medal in shooting.[112] The men's field hockey team won the bronze medal for the second consecutive Olympics.[113]Aman Sehrawat won a bronze medal for India in the men's freestyle 57kgwrestling event to become the youngest Indian to win an Olympic medal.[114][115]
^ Leading in the men's event at the Olympics with all 13 medals coming from the same. Combining men's and women's events, both India and the Netherlands have won eight gold medals each.
The Indian Men's Field Hockey Team has won the most medals in the sport in the Olympic competition. The team has won 13 medals including eight gold medals of which six were won consecutively from 1928 to 1956.[131][132]
^Kluge, Volker; Lippert, Thomas (2013). "The Olympic Alpinism Prize and a promise redeemed"(PDF). International Society of Olympic Historians. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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