India’s Olympic journey has had both triumphs and setbacks. Merely a few selected Indians get the chance to represent their country, despite the huge population here.  Securing a medal on your own is a challenging task. It demands competitors to compete against the finest sportspersons across the world after difficult qualifying rounds. 

Over the years, a few Indians have achieved the distinguished feat of winning individual Olympic medals. Their victories provide motivating standards for aspiring athletes of the coming generation.  At different Olympic Games, a range of medals have been earned in a variety of categories, highlighting India’s growing strength on the global stage. 

 India at the Olympics 

The Olympics take place every four years, and the coming Olympics will take place in Paris 2024.India is consistently competing in every Olympic Games since 1990. Over time, Indian athletes have participated in a diverse range of sports, establishing nation’s reputation internationally. There have been some noteworthy moments and accomplishments. In India’s Olympic Journey.  

Norman Pritchard (2 silver medals in 1990) 

Norman Pritchard won two silver medals at the 1990’s Paris Olympics. Pritchard become the first Indian and Asian athlete to win an Olympic medal, pre-independence. He bagged second place in the 200-meter race and 200-meter hurdles, following the American competitors, Walter Tewksbury and Alvin Kraenzlein, respectively.  

K.D. Jadhav (bronze medal in 1952) 

During the 1952 Helsinki Games, K.D. Jadhav made history as the first athlete of independent India to win an individual Olympic medal. His bronze medal in wrestling serves as a motivation to coaches developing the future athletes.  

Boxer Mary Kom (bronze medal in 2012) 

Six-time world champion and a notable Olympian, Mary Kom is also a member of Parliament. The boxer has been honored with awards like Arjuna Award, Padma Bhushan, Padam Shri, Padam Vibhushan and Khel Ratna. The iconic figure provided Indians a pride moment by winning a bronze medal in London Olympics 2012.  

P. V. Sindhu (one silver medal and one bronze) 

The distinguished Indian badminton player P.V. Sindhu made a significant influence on the sports culture in Modern India through her multiple wins at the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and Badminton World Federation (BWF) Championships. Sindhu is the first Indian woman to bag two silver medals at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics and a bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.  

Neeraj Chopra (gold medal in 2021) 

Neeraj Chopra marked history at the Tokyo Olympics 2021, by becoming the first Indian to secure a gold medal in track and field. Track & field is recognized as the premier sport of the Summer Games. In addition, this achievement also marked the nation’s second individual gold medal in over a century of Olympic competition. 

These triumphs have not only elevated Indian sports gain fame globally but have also left a benchmark for the future generations, preparing to write their name in the books of Indian legacy. 

With the Paris Olympics 2024 approaching, the question arises- will India pen another chapter of history?