On International Olympic Day, 7 Indian Olympic achievements that make us proud

With exactly a month to go for the Tokyo Olympics, the world on June 23 celebrated the International Olympic Day. The International Olympic Day is dedicated to sports and fitness. Every year on June 23, the day is commemorated as a call to action for people all around the world. The International Olympic Committee was formed on this day in 1894, and it is commemorated on International Olympic Day. International Olympic Day 2021's theme is 'stay healthy, stay strong, stay active with the #OlympicDay workout on 23 June'. 

When it comes to Olympics, a lot is expected from India in Tokyo. Through history, despite various personal challenges, Indian athletes have shone in the global mega-event and have inspired many across the world. To commemorate the contribution of Indian athletes on the International Olympic Day, here are the seven greatest Indian Olympics achievements of some renowned sportspersons:

1) Abhinav Bindra

Abhinav Bindra (currently retired) brought a lot of joy and pride for India when he achieved the Nation's first-ever individual Olympic gold medal in 2008. That achievement not only brought India acclaim on the international stage, but inspired scores of budding athletes who wanted to emulate Bindra. During the 2004 Athens Olympics,  Abhinav Bindra set a new Olympic record, but still missed out on a medal. His score of 597/600 in the qualification round was a new record, but the competition was fierce. He had a setback in the finals of the 10m air rifle event. He could not build on the performance in the qualification rounds. After scoring 97.6, he finished in seventh position. A promising performance came to an unfruitful end but left many inspired.

Bindra scripted history during the 2008 Beijing Olympics when he secured a sensational gold medal in the 10m air rifle event, becoming the first-ever Indian athlete to win an individual gold medal. To this day, he still remains the only one to have ever secured an individual gold, at the age of 25.

2) Milkha Singh 'The Flying Sikh' 

India's legendary Milkha Singh recently passed away due to post COVID complications. However, the sprinter's journey and achievements have inspired many around the world. Milkha Singh is considered among the legendary athletes of the country, remembered as a four-time Gold medallist at the Asian Games and a Commonwealth Games champion. He also represented India at three Olympics, with a memorable fourth-place finish in the 1960 edition of the Summer Olympics that was contested in Rome. He represented India in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. 

Although Milkha Singh did not secure a gold medal in his Olympic career, the race for which 'The Flying Sikh' was best remembered is his fourth-place finish in the 400 metres final at the 1960 Olympic Games, which he had entered as one of the favourites. He led the race till the 200m mark before easing off, allowing others to pass him. Various records were broken in the race, which required a photo-finish and saw American Otis Davis being declared the winner by one-hundredth of a second over German Carl Kaufmann. Milkha Singh's fourth-place time of 45.73 seconds was the Indian national record for almost 40 years.

3) Leander Paes

Leander Paes won India its first and only Olympic medal in tennis at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics in singles. He competed in consecutive Olympics from 1992 to 2016, making him the first Indian and only tennis player to compete at seven Olympic Games. Paes is a former Davis Cup team captain and holds the record for the most Davis Cup doubles wins with 43 victories surpassing Nicola Pietrangeli's 42. He is widely respected around the tennis circuit for his longevity and prowess as a doubles player at the highest level

4) Karnam Malleswari

In Sydney in 2000, Karnam Malleswari became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal when she took bronze in the 69kg category. Karnam Malleswari lifted a total weight of 240kg, finishing third behind China's Lin Weining and Hungary's Erzsebet Markus, who both lifted an Olympic record of 242.5kgs. Malleswari attempted a load of 137.5 kg in her final lift, but failed (her total would have been 247.5 if she had been successful), thus missing out on the gold. Twelve years later, in 2012, Saina Nehwal and MC Mary Kom joined Malleswari as Indian women blazed a glorious path, by winning Olympic medals.

5) MC Mary Kom

MC Mary Kom hardly needs an introduction in contemporary India. In her more than two-decade-long career, Mary Kom has created numerous records and paved a path for a whole generation of boxers. Mary Kom who is a six-time world champion is also the first and till date only Indian women boxer to win an Olympic medal. She won a bronze at the 2012 London Games. Notably, at the age of 38, the Tokyo Games will be the legend's last Olympics and she will be aiming to bid adieu by winning that elusive Olympic gold.   

6) Saina Nehwal

In London 2012 Olympic Games, Saina Nehwal achieved a truly significant milestone for Indian badminton. The singles bronze made Saina Nehwal the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in badminton. It also proved to be the spark that Indian shuttler PV Sindhu needed to win a historic silver in Rio four years later.

7) Indian Hockey Team

India is the most successful team in Field Hockey at Olympics, with 11 medals in total, including 8 gold medals. From 1928 to 1956, India won consecutive six gold medals, which is a record even today.

During the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, the world was introduced to the magic of Dhyan Chand. In India’s first appearance in field hockey at the Olympic Games (as part of the British Raj back then), the team went undefeated over the four Division A games and then beat host Netherlands in the final. India went to that Olympic tournament in Amsterdam without conceding a goal while scoring 29 themselves. And at the center of it all was Dhyan Chand, who finished the tournament with a total of 14 goals including two in the final, and that is why he is famously called 'The Wizard of Hockey'

(Image Credits: AP/PTI/NSAINA_FANCLUB/Twitter)