Indian participation in Olympics started in 1900-well before the South Asian country gained independence from British imperial rule. The first Independent Indian participation in Olympics occurred in 1948.
Pre-Independence Olympic Achievements
The first Indian Olympian medalist was Norman Pritchard. He won 4 silver medals at the 1900 Paris Olympics. Two silver medals were won in Men's 200 meters. Two were achieved in the 200 meters hurdles. The first gold medal for India was won by the National Indian hockey team in the 1928 Olympic Games held in Amsterdam.
Hockey
India's Olympic participation history is dominated by the country's proven skill in hockey. Hockey players have brought home a total of 17 medals. The Indian hockey team proved particularly adept during the period from 1928 to 1980. The Indian Olympic hockey team won 11 medals in 12 Olympiads during that period. Six successive gold medals were bought home from 1928 to 1956.
Other Games
India also exhibited sparks of brilliance in other games during its Olympic participation tenure. Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav won the bronze medal in wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Leander Paes won a bronze medal in tennis during the 1996 Olympic Games held in Atlanta, United States of America. He won in the Men's singles tournament.
Olympic Medals and Sports
| Sport | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field hockey | 8 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
| Athletics | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Shooting | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Wrestling | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Weightlifting | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Tennis | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Medals | 8 | 4 | 5 | 17 |
Last Updated on 6/6/2012
