New Delhi: India have a rich history at the Olympics having been part of the games for more than 100 years. India’s tryst with the Olympics began in 1900 when the country had a single representative in Paris. Norman Pritchard represented India on their debut at the Games and returned home with two medals.
Pritchard won a silver medal in men’s 200m hurdles to clinch India’s first-ever Olympics medal and followed it up with another silver medal in men’s 200m sprint. India kickstarted their Olympics journey with a two-medal haul in their maiden games and there has been no looking back ever since.
India’s Olympic journey has been a rollercoaster ride filled with a lot of ups and downs. From Indian hockey’s golden era when they bagged a record straight eight gold medals to KD Jadhav clinching the first-ever individual medal for the country and Abhinav Bindra winning the first individual gold medal at the games, it has been a memorable ride.
India have also endured a lot of heartbreaks with several individuals missing out on medals closely across events. But Tokyo 2020 saw a new high as the country recorded its best-ever tally of seven medals with Neeraj Chopra bagging a historic gold in men’s javelin throw. India will be hoping to better their tally when they begin their campaign in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
India medal tally at Olympics (edition-wise)
1900 – 2 medals
Norman Pritchard was the only athlete representing India at the 1900 Olympics in Paris. He won two silver medals in men’s 200m hurdles and men’s 200m sprint.
1928 – 1 medal
The Indian men’s hockey team won their maiden gold medal at the Olympics in the 1928 Games in Amsterdam. It was the start of Indian hockey’s golden era at the games.
1932 – 1 medal
The Indian hockey team won their second successive gold medal at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. India finished with only a solitary medal at the games.
1936 – 1 medal
Indian men’s hockey team’s golden run continued at the Berlin Olympics 1936 as they completed a hat-trick of gold medals.
1948 – 1 medal
The men’s hockey team was once again the country’s saviour as India returned with only one medal from the games the London Olympics in 1948.
1952 – 2 medals
India ended their one-medal streak in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics as KD Jadhav bagged the first individual medal for the country in men’s bantamweight wrestling. The men’s hockey team bagged their fifth straight gold medal at the showpiece event.
1956 – 1 medal
Indian men’s hockey team won their sixth successive gold medal at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. India were dominant throughout the tournament and didn’t concede a single goal on their way to gold.
1960 – 1 medal
India’s golden streak in men’s hockey ended at the Rome Olympics in 1960. India lost 1-0 to Pakistan in the final to settle for a silver medal.
1964 – 1 medal
The Indian men’s hockey team returned to the top of the podium in the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 as they defeated Pakistan in the final to win the gold medal.
1968 – 1 medal
For the first time, India failed to reach the men’s hockey final in an Olympics in Mexico in 1968. India won the bronze medal after beating West Germany 2-1.
1972 – 1 medal
Indian men’s hockey team had to settle for a bronze medal once again in the Munich Olympics in 1972. India lost 2-0 to Pakistan but beat Netherlands 2-1 in the bronze medal match.
1980 – 1 medal
India won their 8th and last gold medal in men’s hockey in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. India defeated Spain 4-3 in the final to finish on top of the podium.
1996 – 1 medal
After remaining medal-less in three straight editions, India returned to winning ways in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Leander Paes beat Fernando Meligani to win a bronze medal, his maiden medal at the games and India’s first in tennis.
2000 – 1 medal
Weightlifter Karnam Malleswari scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in the Sydney Games in 2000. Malleswari won a bronze medal in the 54kg category.
2004 – 1 medal
India once again failed to win more than 1 medal in the Athens Olympics in 2004. Armyman Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore won India’s only medal, a silver in men’s double trap shooting. Rathore bagged India’s first Olympic medal in shooting.
2008 – 3 medals
India recorded their best-ever campaign at the time with three medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Abhinav Bindra scripted history by winning a gold medal in men’s 10m air rifle while Vijender Singh won a bronze medal in men’s middleweight boxing. Sushil Kumar won a bronze medal in the men’s 66kg category.
2012 – 6 medals
One of India’s best performances at the Olympics came in the 2006 edition in London when the country finished with a total of six medals. Sushil Kumar won a silver medal in men’s 66kg wrestling while Yogeshwar Dutt bagged a bronze medal in men’s 60 kg wrestling.
Mary Kom bagged her maiden Olympic medal in form of a bronze in women’s flyweight boxing while shuttler Saina Nehwal won India’s maiden Olympic medal in badminton. Vijay Kumar bagged a silver medal in men’s 25m rapid pistol shooting and Gagan Narang won bronze medal in men’s 10m air rifle shooting.
2016 – 2 medals
India’s tally went down in the 2016 Rio Olympics, but PV Sindhu and Sakshi Malik made the country proud with their feats. Sindhu won a silver medal in women’s singles badminton after losing to Carolina Marin in the final. Sakshi won a bronze medal in women’s 58kg wrestling.
2020 – 7 medals
India recorded their best-ever medals tally in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where Neeraj Chopra won a historic gold medal in men’s javelin throw. Neeraj won India’s first gold medal in track and field in athletics. Mirabai Chanu won a silver medal in women’s 49kg weightlifting while boxer Lovlina Borgohain clinched a bronze medal in the women’s welterweight (64-69kg) category.
Ravi Dahiya bagged a silver medal in men’s 57kg wrestling while PV Sindhu won her second successive Olympic medal by bagging a bronze in women’s singles. The Indian hockey team also ended a 40-year-long wait for an Olympic medal with a bronze. Wrestler Bajrang Punia bagged a bronze medal in the men’s 65kg category.
India’s total medal at Olympics
India have won a total of 35 medals across 24 editions of the Olympics, including 10 gold, 9 silver and 16 bronze medals. Indian men’s hockey team alone has contributed 9 medals to India’s overall tally with wrestling the second-biggest contributor with 7 medals. Abhinav Bindra and Neeraj Chopra are the only two individual gold medallists while Sushil Kumar and PV Sindhu are the only individuals with multiple medals.
India won their first medal at Olympics in the year 1900 when Norman Pritchard bagged a silver medal in men’s 200m hurdles. Pritchard won two medals in the 1900 edition following which India had to wait for 28 years for their third Olympic medal. Here is a look at how many medals have India won at the Olympics so far. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
