India made its glorious Olympic appearance back in 1900 at the 1900 Paris Olympics when a lone athlete, “Norman Pritchard”, represented the country and became the Asian native to clinch two silver Olympic medals. Over the years, India has significantly improved and elevated its stature across the wide spectrum of the Olympic Games and the country now boasts numerous Olympic athletes including, Neeraj Chopra, Priyanka Goswami, Akshdeep Singh, Bhowneesh Mendiratta, Tarundeep Rai, P.V. Sindhu and many more.
As of July 2024, India holds a total of ten gold Olympic medals, nine silver Olympic medals, and sixteen bronze Olympic medals, speaking volumes about the growing dominance of the country at the Olympic Games. Ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, India is all geared up with a total of 113 Olympic participants in sixteen diverse and highly competitive sports.
Let’s have a look at the top eight most iconic and memorable firsts of India in the Olympic Games
- First Indian Olympic Participant
The 1900 Paris Olympics proved to be a game changer for India as Norman Pritchard, an Indian athlete of British descent born in Kolkata, clinched two silver medals at the Olympic Games. Norman Pritchard participated in a total of four Olympic hurdles events, including 60 meters, 100 meters, 110 meters, and 200 meters. The Indian athlete clinched two silver medals in the 200-meter and 200-meter hurdles events, solidifying India’s glorious and star-studded entry into the landscape of the Olympic Games.
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First Indian Woman Olympic Participant
Although India marked its iconic entry into the Olympics in 1900, it was only at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics that an Indian woman made her debut at the Olympic Games. Nilima Ghose, born on 15 June 1935, became the first Indian woman track athlete to participate in the Summer Olympics. Nilima Ghose participated in her first women’s heat race of 100 meters on July 21, 1952, at the young age of seventeen. Although coming last in a time of 13.80 seconds, Nilima Ghose could not move ahead to the next round. Nilima Ghose’s exploits gracefully opened the gateways of the Olympic Games for Indian women.
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First Indian Gold Medalist Team
The 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam highlighted India’s dominance in the game as the country clinched its first Olympic gold medal. The Indian hockey team scored a total of 29 goals, fourteen out of which were scored by the stalwart of Indian hockey, Dhyan Chand alone. The Indian hockey team reigned at the top of the hockey league globally as they smashed their opponents and clinched the first gold medal for their country at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam.
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First Indian Individual Gold Medalist
Although India clinched its first gold medal at the 1928 Olympic Games held in Amsterdam, only when Abhinav Bindra clinched a gold medal in shooting at the 2008 Beijing Olympics did India get its first individual gold medal. Abhinav Apjit Bindra, born on 28 September 1982, won the men’s 10m air rifle title and led India to its much-anticipated first “independent” gold medal in the history of the Olympics.
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First Indian Woman Olympic Medalist
Although Indian women paved their way into the highly competitive and glitzy landscape of the Olympic Games in 1952, it took almost fifty years for them to display their dominance at the Olympic Games. The Sydney 2000 Olympic Games proved to be a trailblazing season for Indian women as the first Indian athlete, Karnam Malleswari, clinched her first Olympic bronze medal in weightlifting. Karnam Malleswari lifted a total of 240Kg; 110Kg in the snatch and 130Kg in the clean at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
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First Indian Olympic Medalist post-independence
As mentioned earlier, India made its first appearance at the Olympic Games under colonial rule when Norman Pritchard clinched two silver medals at the 1900 Paris Olympics, but it was only at the 1952 Summer Olympics held in Helsinki that Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, popularly referred to as “KD Jadhav” came across as the first athlete from the “independent” India to compete and win an individual bronze medal at wrestling. The great Indian flag bearer tragically passed away in a road accident in 1984 and was honored with the Arjuna Award in 2011.
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First Indian Multiple Medalist Post Independence
Professional Indian wrestler, Sushil Kumar clinched a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics and a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics and made history by being the first Indian athlete post-independence to clinch multiple medals in the Olympic Games. Earlier, the feat was achieved by Kolkata’s Norman Pritchard, who clinched two silver Olympic medals under colonial rule at the 1900 Paris Olympics.
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First Indian Woman Multiple Medalist
At the age of twenty-seven, Indian professional badminton player, PV Sindhu, made history and established herself as the first Indian woman athlete to clinch a total of two individual medals in the Olympic Games. The Indian stalwart of badminton, PV Sindhu, clinched her first Olympic silver medal at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games and her second bronze Olympic medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which was held later in the year 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
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