On Independence Day, Here's A Look At India¡¯s Proud Sporting Achievements In The Past 75 Years
Here are the path-breaking moments in Indian sport
Independent India turns 75. In these past seven decades, we've come across many path-breaking moments that have considerably transformed the face of the country.
Not to forget, these past decades have also seen important moments in Indian sport that we can cherish for time to come.
So here's a list:
1. Hockey Gold Medal, 1948 London Olympics
India had already won three hockey gold medals before independence. But it was post-partition time. And the first time India competed at the Olympics as an independent nation. In the final match, India beat England 2-1 to win the gold medal.
2. Football Team Does India Proud In 1951
What's the condition of Indian football right now? Nothing great? Back in 1951, India won a gold medal in the Asian Games. It was under the able tutelage of Syed Abdul Rahim that football did so well. The team repeated the feat in the 1960 Asian Games too.
3. Bronze Medal In 1952 Helsinki Olympics By KD Jadhav
KD Jadhav was one of the first Indian athletes to win an Olympic medal. He won bronze in the bantamweight category of the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. It was India's first wrestling Olympic medal.
4. 1958 Cardiff Commonwealth Games, Milkha Singh Wins Gold
Post-partition India's first athletics superstar was Milkha Singh. And he became the first Indian to clinch gold at the Commonwealth Games. He won it in the 440 yards category.
5. Ramanathan Krishnan - India's First Tennis Star Is Born
No Indian tennis player had come this far in the Wimbledon. But Krishnan actually turned things around and reached the coveted tournament's semi-final for the first time in 1960. He repeated the feat in 1961.
6. Prakash Padukone Wins England Open Badminton Championships
Padukone is the first Indian badminton star we recognise. Sadly, Padukone could never take part in the Olympics. Why? Because badminton was recognised as a sport only from the 1992 Olympics. And Padukone had retired by then.
7. 1983 Cricket World Cup Triumph
In 1983, cricket was slowly growing by leaps and bounds. But with this historic triumph - beating West Indies in the final of the World Cup - this sport snowballed into a religion. The feat was repeated by MS Dhoni and his men in 2011.
8. Limba Ram Makes Archery World Record In 1992
Archery jumped onto the scene only for Limba Ram. At the Asian Archery Championships in Beijing, Ram equaled the world record and scored 357/360 points in the 30 metres event.
9. Vishwanathan Anand Wins World Championship
Vishwanathan Anand won the 2000 World Chess Championship. He became the first Indian to do so. Since then, Anand has won the championships five times.
10. Vijender Singh Becomes First Indian Boxer To Win Olympic Medal (2008)
Expected? Was it? But Vijender Singh was determined to pull it off anyway. In the 2008, Beijing Olympics, Singh won bronze and blessed India with the first ever Olympic medal in boxing.
11. Abhinav Bindra's Gold Medal At 2008 Olympics
Vijender's bronze was certainly not enough. India needed a gold to celebrate. And Abhinav Bindra did that rightly so. He won the medal in the 10m air rifle shooting event and became the first Indian to do so at an individual event.
12. First Gold Medal In Olympics Athletics
Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra created history at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics by bagging a gold medal - the first for the country in track and field.
AFP
With a total of seven medals, including Neeraj's gold, one silver and four bronze Tokyo was also India's best Olympic performance to date.
