Since India's debut at the Olympics in 1900, its athletes have made a lasting impact, capturing medals and breaking records that continue to inspire people worldwide. Although India's Olympic record may not be as extensive as some nations—like the United States, which boasts 2,629 medals compared to India's 35—every Indian Olympian has undoubtedly inspired someone. In 2021, India achieved its best performance at the 2020 Tokyo Games, securing seven Olympic medals and 19 Paralympic medals.
Norman Pritchard - Silver Medal - Men’s 200m Hurdles - Paris 1900
India debuted at the 1900 Paris Olympics with Norman Pritchard, who became the first Indian to participate in the modern Olympics, securing the country's inaugural medal (pre-independence) in the men’s 200m hurdles. Pritchard set an Olympic record of 26.8 seconds during the semi-finals. In the finals, he claimed silver with a time of 26 seconds, while Alvin Kraenzlein of the USA set a new Olympic record of 25.4 seconds to win gold.
Norman Pritchard - Silver Medal - Men’s 200m - Paris 1900
Norman Pritchard claimed his second Olympic silver in the men’s 200m sprint at the Paris 1900 Olympics. After advancing from the semi-finals, Pritchard finished the final in 22.8 seconds to take silver, behind Walter Tewksbury of the USA, who won gold with a time of 22.2 seconds.
Indian Hockey Men’s Team - Gold Medal - Amsterdam 1928
The Indian hockey team dominated the Amsterdam 1928 Olympics, scoring 29 goals in five matches and not conceding any, to capture their first Olympic gold medal. Hockey legend Dhyan Chand contributed significantly, scoring 14 goals, including a hat-trick in the final against the Netherlands. This marked the first Olympic medal for Indian hockey.
Neeraj Chopra - Gold Medal - Men’s Javelin Throw- Tokyo Olympics
Neeraj Chopra became India’s second individual Olympic champion, following Abhinav Bindra, with a historic gold in the men’s javelin throw at Tokyo 2020. This victory also represented India’s first-ever track-and-field medal at the Olympics. Chopra's throw of 87.58m contributed to India’s record haul of seven medals at Tokyo 2020, making it the nation’s most successful Olympics to date.
Ahead of the Paris Games 2024, let’s have a look at the list of India's Olympic medal winners:
Year | Olympian | Category | Event | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
Paris 1900 | Norman Pritchard | Athletics | Men's 200m | Silver |
Paris 1900 | Norman Pritchard | Athletics | Men's 200m hurdles | Silver |
Amsterdam 1928 | Indian hockey team | Hockey | Men's hockey | Gold |
Los Angeles 1932 | Indian hockey team | Hockey | Men's hockey | Gold |
Berlin 1936 | Indian hockey team | Hockey | Men's hockey | Gold |
London 1948 | Indian hockey team | Hockey | Men's hockey | Gold |
Helsinki 1952 | Indian hockey team | Hockey | Men's hockey | Gold |
Helsinki 1952 | KD Jadhav | Wrestling | Men's bantamweight | Bronze |
Melbourne 1956 | Indian hockey team | Hockey | Men's hockey | Gold |
Rome 1960 | Indian hockey team | Hockey | Men's hockey | Silver |
Tokyo 1964 | Indian hockey team | Hockey | Men's hockey | Gold |
Mexico City 1968 | Indian hockey team | Hockey | Men's hockey | Bronze |
Munich 1972 | Indian hockey team | Hockey | Men's hockey | Bronze |
Moscow 1980 | Indian hockey team | Hockey | Men's hockey | Gold |
Atlanta 1996 | Leander Paes | Tennis | Men's singles | Bronze |
Sydney 2000 | Karnam Malleswari | Weightlifting | Women's 54kg | Bronze |
Athens 2004 | Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore | Shooting | Men's double trap | Silver |
Beijing 2008 | Abhinav Bindra | Shooting | Men's 10m air rifle | Gold |
Beijing 2008 | Vijender Singh | Boxing | Men's middleweight | Bronze |
Beijing 2008 | Sushil Kumar | Wrestling | Men's 66kg | Bronze |
London 2012 | Sushil Kumar | Wrestling | Men's 66kg | Silver |
London 2012 | Vijay Kumar | Shooting | Men's 25m rapid pistol | Silver |
London 2012 | Saina Nehwal | Badminton | Women's singles | Bronze |
London 2012 | Mary Kom | Boxing | Women's flyweight | Bronze |
London 2012 | Yogeshwar Dutt | Wrestling | Men's 60kg | Bronze |
London 2012 | Gagan Narang | Shooting | Men's 10m air rifle | Bronze |
Rio 2016 | PV Sindhu | Badminton | Women's singles | Silver |
Rio 2016 | Sakshi Malik | Wrestling | Women's 58kg | Bronze |
Tokyo 2020 | Mirabai Chanu | Weightlifting | Women's 49kg | Silver |
Tokyo 2020 | Lovlina Borgohain | Boxing | Women's welterweight | Bronze |
Tokyo 2020 | PV Sindhu | Badminton | Women's singles | Bronze |
Tokyo 2020 | Ravi Kumar Dahiya | Wrestling | Men's 57kg | Silver |
Tokyo 2020 | Indian hockey team | Hockey | Men's hockey | Bronze |
Tokyo 2020 | Bajrang Punia | Wrestling | Men's 65kg | Bronze |
Tokyo 2020 | Neeraj Chopra | Athletics | Men's javelin throw | Gold |
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