Deep dive into India's performance in every edition of Olympic Games

Olympic Rings (credits x)
Olympic Rings (credits x)

Highlights:

India won the most medals in the Tokyo Olympics.

India will look to break all records in the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024.

India were not among the first nations who featured in the first edition of the Olympic Games in 1896 but they made their mark in the games by winning medals since their participation of the game. Considering their participation in 1900, India are now vouching to host the Games. India have won 57 medals including 10 gold, 9 silver, 16 bronze in the history of games so far. Here is India's position in every Olympic games in terms of medals. 

 

1900 Olympics

 

India ranked 17th during the 1900 Olympics winning two medals. Norman Pichard of British origin won two silver medals in athletics (200-meter sprint and 200-meter hurdle race).

 

1920 Olympics

 

Six athletes represented India in the 1920 Olympics and nobody was able to clinch any medal in that Olympics. 

 

1924 Paris Olympics

 

This was the second consecutive time when India were unable to win any medal. 14 Athletes represented India in the Olympics.

 

India's Hockey era in Olympics from 1928 to 1948

 

India won their first Olympic gold medal in 128 Olympics in Hockey. 21 athletes represented India and ranked 23rd in terms of medal tally. Indian hockey won gold in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics and India's rank was 19th with one medal. India also clinched gold in the 1936 Berlin Olympics which was again won by the hockey team.  Whereas in the 1948 London Olympics, after independence, the Indian hockey team won the gold medal and independent India got its first Olympic medal in the form of gold. This time too, India's rank was 22nd with one gold.

 

1952 Helsinki Olympics
 

India sent 64 athletes to Helsinki Olympics in 1952 and India created history in these games by winning the first individual medal in the games. India wrestler KD Jadhav won that medal in wrestling in the 57 kg event. India ranked 26 with two medals

 

1956 Melbourne Olympics

 

India sent 59 athletes to the Melbourne Olympics held in Australia in 1956. The Indian hockey team was the only one to win a gold medal. Due to this India remained at the 24th position.

 

1960 Rome Olympics


45 athletes were qualified for India in the 1960 Rome Olympics and India's hockey team were the only one who clinched the silver medal. While the rest of the athletes returned empty-handed. Due to this India remained at the 32nd position.

 

1964 Tokyo Olympics

 

Japan hosted the Olympics in 1964 for the first time and apart from India no other athlete was able to win a medal in Tokyo. 53 athletes represented India in the 1964 Olympic Games. 

 

1968 Mexico City


25 athletes represented India in the 1968 Mexico City and this time Indian hockey team was also settled for a bronze medal and India finished 42nd with one medal.

 

1972 Munich Olympics

 

41 athletes represented India in the Munich Olympics but the team contingent managed to win just one medal which too a bronze by the Indian hockey team. India ended their campaign in 43rd position. 
 

1976 Montreal Olympics

20 athletes represented India in that season and ended their campaign without winning any medals. 

 

1980 Moscow Olympics

 

Only the Indian hockey team won the gold medal in that edition of the Games and that was the only medal for India. India was ranked 23rd because there was only one medal among seven athletes. 

 

No medal from 1984 to 1992

In the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, India sent a team of 48 athletes, and none of them won a medal, while after this, in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, India sent 46 players and again ended their campaign without a medal. In the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, India ended their campaign without a medal. 

 

1996 Atlanta Olympics

49 athletes represented India in Atlanta Olympics and India tennis star Leander Paes created history by winning the country's first bronze medal in men's singles tennis. That was the only medal India won in 1996 games. 
 

2000 Sydney Olympics


65 athletes represented India in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and female weightlifter Karnam Malleswari created history by becoming the first female athlete to win an Olympic medal for India. That was the only medal India secured in those Games. India remained at the 71st position with one bronze medal.

 

2004 Athens Olympics


73 athletes represented India in the Athens Olympics but again the country managed to win just one medal and that was clinched by Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. He was the first shooter to win a silver medal in the men's doubles trap event and India finished 65th with one medal.

 

2008 Beijing Olympics

 

56 athletes participated for India in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Where India won three medals including one gold and two bronze medals for the first time. Abhinav Bindra won a gold medal for the country in the 10-meter air rifle while Vijender Singh opened an account in boxing and Sushil Kumar in wrestling. Due to this India remained at the 5th position with three medals.

 

2016 Rio Olympics

PV Sindhu made a name for herself in the 2016 Olympics held in Rio, Brazil. 117 athletes represented India, Sindhu won silver in badminton and Sakshi Malik won the country's first bronze medal in women's wrestling. India ranked 67th position with only two medals.


2012 London Olympics

 

India's largest-ever contingent of 83 athletes represented the nation in the 2012 London Olympics. In which Indian athletes rocked and won a total of six medals including two silver and four bronze medals. Due to this India stood at 55th position.

 

2016 Rio Olympics

 

PV Sindhu made a name for herself in the 2016 Olympics held in Rio, Brazil. 117 athletes represented India, Sindhu won silver in badminton and Sakshi Malik won the country's first bronze medal in women's wrestling. India ranked 67th position with only two medals.

 

2020 Tokyo Olympics

 

In the last edition of the Olympics which was hosted by Tokyo, 214 athletes represented India. Neeraj Chopra created history by winning the first gold medal for the country in athletics. Apart from Neeraj, Mirabai Chanu and PV Sindhu also clinched the medals. Indian hockey team also made a comeback by clinching a medal in the Olympics. India won seven medals and ended their campaign in the 48th position.

 

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