India 75: Hockey to cricket, a look at India's roaring success in the field of sports

From winning their first ever Olympics gold medal in field hockey in 1948 to registering one of the best ever performances at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games 2022, India has come a long way in sports since attaining independence on August 15, 1947. Ahead of the auspicious occasion of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav (75 years of independence), here is a look at some of the most glittering moments of our nation in the field of sports.

India's first Olympics medal after Independence

After attaining independence on August 15, 1947, India first competed at the 1948 Summer Olympic Games in London, where they also won their first medal. The legendary Indian men's hockey team, which had won three consecutive gold medals before independence, went on to win its first-ever gold medal at the showpiece event as independent nation before repeating the feat in 1952 and 1956.

Meanwhile, Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav was the first Indian star to win an individual medal (bronze) at the Helsinki Olympics in 1952 in the men's freestyle bantamweight wrestling event. Until 1983, hockey was by far India's most successful sport as the men's team clinched five gold medals on the grand Olympics stage, among success in several other competitions.

Indian cricket team lifts 1983 ODI World Cup

However, 1983 marked the beginning of India's dominance in cricket. Under the legendary captaincy of Kapil Dev, the Men in Blue went on to defeat the dominant West Indies team that had won two back-to-back World Cups in 1975 and 1979 respectively. From that point on, cricket has grown to be a religion in India.

While 1983 was when India lifted its first ODI World Cup, it was not until 2011 that the country got the opportunity to celebrate the momentous occasion again. And there was no better place to win it than at home. After the Men in Blue defeated Sri Lanka in the final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, several Indians took to the streets to celebrate the grand success. Following both these successes, cricket has become a phenomenon in the country.

India's growing success in other sports

While India's success in sports other than hockey and cricket were limited until the 1990s, Leander Paes' bronze medal in men's singles tennis at the Atalanta Olympics brought hope and inspiration to millions of Indians that they too can achieve success at the grandest of stages. Following his success, Karnam Malleswari won a bronze medal in women's 69kg weightlifting at the 2000 Syndey Olympics before Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore won India's first silver medal in an individual event at an Olympics in 2004.

From 2008 onwards, India's success in a diversity of sports has witnessed an upward trend. From winning no more than one Olympic medal each year since independence, India won three Olympic medals in 2008, including their first individual event gold medal. Abhinav Bindra made the nation proud by winning the gold medal in the men's 10m air rifle shooting event at the Beijing Olympics. At the same event, Vijender Singh and Sushil Kumar also won a bronze medal each in boxing and weightlifting respectively.

India's staggering success in 2010 Delhi CWG

In 2010, India not only hosted the largest Commonwealth Games to date in New Delhi but also recorded its best-ever success at the multi-sporting event. A total of 21 sports and 272 events took place, with more than 4,350 athletes competing from 71 Commonwealth nations. India finished second with 38 gold medals and 101 medals in total, only behind first-placed Australia, who won a total of 177 medals.

Neeraj Chopra scripts history at Tokyo Olympics 2020

Neeraj Chopra scripted history at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 last year by not only clinching India's second gold medal in an individual Olympics event but also ending a long 100-year wait for an athletics medal at the showpiece event. His gold medal in Tokyo was symbolic of India's growth in a diversity of sports.

Other than Neeraj, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu and Ravi Kumar Dahiya also won a silver medal each, while the likes of P. V. Sindhu, Lovlina Borgohain, the men's field hockey team and Bajrang Punia won a bronze medal each. And it was not just the Olympians who demonstrated a fantastic performance, as the Paralympians also showcased a historic performance too. The Indian contingent finished 22nd at the Tokyo Paralympics with a total of 19 medals, including five golds.

India's brilliant success at Commonwealth Games 2022

Even though the Indian contingent failed to get past the CWG 2010 medal mark at the Commonwealth Games 2022, they arguably had one of their best performances. It is pertinent to note that India won a total of 61 medals (22 gold) despite their two most successful disciplines not being a part of CWG 2022: archery and shooting.

At the Commonwealth Games 2022, it was not just the total number of medals that India won but the number of different disciplines they won the medals in. While wrestling (12) and weightlifting (10) contributed the most to India's medal tally, the team also had some fantastic success in badminton, athletics, and table tennis, among several other disciplines.

Government's role in facilitating India's future success in sports

While India has been among one of the top nations in cricket and a few other sports, success in multiple sports was a rarity for the longest of times. However, the government has brought up some outstanding schemes recently to train athletes for the greatest of successes.

The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) introduced in 2014 by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYAS) has helped India's sporting success across various disciplines. Under this scheme, athletes not only get financial assistance but also get the opportunity to train with the best coaches and the best training facilities.

With schemes such as these, India has a bright road to success in multi-sports in the future.