Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. India’s First Steps in the Olympics (1900 -
1947)
o Early Participation and Norman Pritchard
o Struggles and the Formation of National
Identity
3. Post-Independence Era (1948 - 1980)
o Golden Era of Indian Hockey
o Medal Tally from 1948 - 1980
4. The Period of Decline (1980 - 2000)
o Fewer Medals, Hockey's Fall
o Medal Tally from 1980 - 2000
5. The Revival Phase (2000 - Present)
o Major Achievements
o Rise of Individual Sports
o Medal Tally from 2000 - 2021
6. Major Personalities in India’s Olympic History
o Dhyan Chand
o Milkha Singh
o Karnam Malleswari
o Abhinav Bindra
o PV Sindhu
7. India’s Olympic Medal Tally - A Table
8. Challenges and Opportunities for Indian
Sports
 9. Conclusion

1. Introduction
The Olympic Games have been a stage for global
athletes to showcase their skills, and India’s journey
through this grand event is filled with moments of
triumph and challenges. From sending a single athlete
in the year 1900 to becoming a competitive nation in
individual sports, India's Olympic story is a mix of
historic milestones, struggles, and glorious wins.
This project aims to cover the significant events and
personalities in Indian Olympic history, analyzing their
journey from the early 1900s to the present. The key
highlights will include the medal tallies of various years,
major contributors to India's success, and the
challenges the country has faced on the international
sports stage.
2. India’s First Steps in the Olympics (1900 -
1947)
Early Participation and Norman Pritchard
India’s Olympic journey began in the 1900 Paris
Olympics with Norman Pritchard, the first Indian to
participate in the Games. Pritchard won two silver
medals in athletics, in the 200 meters and 200 meters
hurdles. Although this was a significant start, India's
participation would not be consistent until the 1920s.
The country struggled to maintain a consistent
presence at the Olympics due to the lack of a
structured sports organization. Between 1920 and
1947, India began to show signs of growth, most
notably with the Indian men’s hockey team, which
would go on to become a dominant force in the
decades to come.
Struggles and the Formation of National Identity
India’s early Olympic years coincided with its struggle
for independence from British colonial rule. Sports,
especially hockey, became a platform for national pride
and identity. In the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, India
won its first Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey, and
this victory laid the foundation for future success.
3. Post-Independence Era (1948 - 1980)
Golden Era of Indian Hockey
Following independence in 1947, India continued its
success in hockey, dominating the sport for several
decades. From 1948 to 1980, India’s men's hockey
team won six consecutive gold medals, making the
country a global powerhouse in the sport.
During this time, the likes of Dhyan Chand emerged
as legends, with Chand being widely regarded as the
greatest hockey player of all time. His contributions to
India's success in the Olympics during the 1936 Berlin
Games are iconic, where India won the gold medal by
defeating Germany 8-1.
Medal Tally from 1948 - 1980
This period was primarily dominated by the hockey
team, but India found it challenging to make a mark in
other sports. Despite this, India's performance in these
years is remembered as its golden era.
4. The Period of Decline (1980 - 2000)
Fewer Medals, Hockey's Fall
After the 1980 Moscow Olympics, where India won its
last gold medal in hockey, the country faced a period of
decline in its Olympic performance. The advent of
synthetic turf in hockey and the rise of European and
Australian teams diminished India’s dominance in the
sport.
From 1980 to 2000, India struggled to win medals in
any category apart from hockey. This era highlighted
the need for infrastructural reforms and government
support in Indian sports.
Medal Tally from 1980 - 2000
India failed to win any medals in the 1984, 1988, and
1992 Olympics, signaling the need for major changes.
However, India did manage a glimmer of hope in 1996
when Leander Paes won a bronze in tennis, breaking
a 16-year medal drought.

5. The Revival Phase (2000 - Present)

Major Achievements
The new millennium brought a gradual resurgence for
India at the Olympics. A breakthrough came in the
2000 Sydney Olympics, where Karnam Malleswari
won a bronze in weightlifting, making her the first
Indian woman to win an Olympic medal.
The turning point in India's individual sports
achievements came in the 2008 Beijing Olympics
when Abhinav Bindra won the gold medal in shooting,
India’s first individual Olympic gold. This period saw a
shift from team sports, with athletes excelling in
boxing, wrestling, badminton, and shooting.
Rise of Individual Sports
In the 2016 Rio Olympics, PV Sindhu won a silver in
badminton, becoming India’s youngest individual
Olympic medalist. India’s individual success has been
marked by athletes like Sushil Kumar in wrestling and
Mary Kom in boxing, showing that the country has
expanded beyond its hockey-centric Olympic focus.
Medal Tally from 2000 - 2021
The medal tally for India in the recent Olympics has
been more diverse, with multiple medals across
different sports, showcasing a growing trend in the
country’s focus on a variety of disciplines.

6. Major Personalities in India’s Olympic History

Dhyan Chand
A legend in hockey, Dhyan Chand’s contributions to
India’s golden era in the sport are unparalleled. Known
as the “Wizard of Hockey,” his unmatched skills led
India to multiple gold medals in the 1928, 1932, and
1936 Olympics.
Milkha Singh
Milkha Singh, famously known as “The Flying Sikh,”
narrowly missed out on an Olympic medal in the 1960
Rome Olympics in the 400m sprint. His perseverance
and dedication made him an inspirational figure in
Indian athletics.
Karnam Malleswari
She created history by becoming the first Indian woman
to win an Olympic medal with a bronze in weightlifting
at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, paving the way for
future female athletes in India.
Abhinav Bindra
Abhinav Bindra became a national hero after winning
India’s first individual Olympic gold medal in shooting
at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a monumental
achievement in India’s sporting history.
PV Sindhu
PV Sindhu’s rise in badminton brought a silver medal
for India at the 2016 Rio Olympics and a bronze at
the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, making her one of India’s
most successful Olympians.

7. India’s Olympic Medal Tally - A Table

Gol Silv Bronz
Year Venue Medals Won
d er e
1900 Paris 2 (Athletics) 0 2 0
1928- Various
11 (Hockey) 8 1 2
1980 (Hockey)
1996 Atlanta 1 (Tennis) 0 0 1
 Gol Silv Bronz
Year Venue Medals Won
d er e
2000 Sydney 1 (Weightlifting) 0 0 1
3 (Shooting,
2008 Beijing 1 0 2
Boxing, Wrestling)
2 (Badminton,
2016 Rio 0 1 1
Wrestling)
2020 Tokyo 7 (Multiple) 1 2 4

Indian Olympic Medalists (Athlete-wise Medals)

Table
Olympic
Year Athlete(s) Sport Medal
Venue
Athletics
190 Norman Silver
Paris (200m, 200m
0 Pritchard (2)
hurdles)
192 Amsterd Indian
Hockey Gold
8 am Hockey Team
193 Los Indian
Hockey Gold
2 Angeles Hockey Team
193 Indian
Berlin Hockey Gold
6 Hockey Team
194 Indian
London Hockey Gold
8 Hockey Team
195 Indian
Helsinki Hockey Gold
2 Hockey Team
195 Helsinki Khashaba Wrestling Bronz
 Olympic
Year Athlete(s) Sport Medal
Venue
(Bantamweight
2 Jadhav e
)
195 Melbourn Indian
Hockey Gold
6 e Hockey Team
196 Indian
Rome Hockey Silver
0 Hockey Team
196 Indian
Tokyo Hockey Gold
4 Hockey Team
196 Mexico Indian Bronz
Hockey
8 City Hockey Team e
197 Indian Bronz
Munich Hockey
2 Hockey Team e
198 Indian
Moscow Hockey Gold
0 Hockey Team
199 Leander Tennis (Men's Bronz
Atlanta
6 Paes Singles) e
200 Karnam Weightlifting Bronz
Sydney
0 Malleswari (69kg) e
Rajyavardha
200 Shooting
Athens n Singh Silver
4 (Double Trap)
Rathore
200 Abhinav Shooting (10m
Beijing Gold
8 Bindra Air Rifle)
200 Vijender Boxing Bronz
Beijing
8 Singh (Middleweight) e
200 Beijing Sushil Kumar Wrestling Bronz
 Olympic
Year Athlete(s) Sport Medal
Venue
8 (66kg) e
201 Wrestling
London Sushil Kumar Silver
2 (66kg)
Shooting (25m
201
London Vijay Kumar Rapid Fire Silver
2
Pistol)
201 Boxing Bronz
London Mary Kom
2 (Flyweight) e
201 Gagan Shooting (10m Bronz
London
2 Narang Air Rifle) e
201 Yogeshwar Wrestling Bronz
London
2 Dutt (60kg) e
Badminton
201 Saina Bronz
London (Women’s
2 Nehwal e
Singles)
Badminton
201 Rio de
PV Sindhu (Women’s Silver
6 Janeiro
Singles)
201 Rio de Wrestling Bronz
Sakshi Malik
6 Janeiro (58kg) e
202 Neeraj Athletics
Tokyo Gold
0 Chopra (Javelin)
202 Mirabai Weightlifting
Tokyo Silver
0 Chanu (49kg)
202 Tokyo PV Sindhu Badminton Bronz
0 (Women’s e
 Olympic
Year Athlete(s) Sport Medal
Venue
Singles)
202 Lovlina Boxing Bronz
Tokyo
0 Borgohain (Welterweight) e
202 Ravi Kumar Wrestling
Tokyo Silver
0 Dahiya (57kg)
202 Bajrang Wrestling Bronz
Tokyo
0 Punia (65kg) e
202 Indian Men’s Bronz
Tokyo Hockey
0 Hockey Team e
8. Challenges and Opportunities for Indian Sports
Despite recent improvements, India still faces several
challenges, including the lack of proper infrastructure,
inadequate support for athletes, and financial
constraints. The country is also working to increase its
representation in underrepresented sports.
At the same time, the rise of professional sports
leagues, increased government funding, and private-
sector involvement have opened up new opportunities
for Indian athletes to compete at a global level.
Grassroots programs are now aiming to build future
champions in a wide array of sports.
9. Conclusion
India’s journey in the Olympic Games has been one of
slow but steady progress. While the country has
struggled in the past, recent developments in
infrastructure, funding, and talent management are
showing positive results. The nation’s shift from a
singular focus on hockey to a more diverse approach
with a greater emphasis on individual sports has been
rewarding. Looking ahead, India is poised to become a
stronger contender in global sporting events, with
young athletes rising across a wide range of disciplines.