India's Remarkable Sports Journey: 1984 Olympics Gold to Thomas Cup Triumph

India's notable sports achievements since independence include its first Olympic hockey gold in 1948, cricket World Cup win in 1983, Abhinav Bindra's individual Olympic gold in 2008, Neeraj Chopra's historic javelin gold in 2021, and Thomas Cup victory in badminton in 2022.

Since independence, India has made impressive progress in the field of sports, establishing a notable presence with remarkable accomplishments. Our athletes have rewritten records in major global events like the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games (CWG), earning recognition for their exceptional achievements.

India's sports history is adorned with numerous remarkable moments, presenting a challenge to highlight only a select few. However, we have listed the five most significant moments for India in sports since Independence. Let's explore these instances and revisit the remarkable accomplishments and feats achieved by our celebrated athletes.

• First Olympic medal after Independence - London Olympics – 1948

The Olympic Games stand as the ultimate stage for sports. This grand occasion brings together many nations, each showcasing their finest athletes. Only a year after gaining independence, a remarkable achievement unfolded for Indian sports at the 1948 Olympics in London.

Our men's hockey team won the gold medal. This was a huge deal for India, as we were still healing from the effects of division and trying to stand strong globally. It was a big step forward in sports for us.

The men's hockey gold medal match took place between India and Great Britain. Under the leadership of Captain Kishan Lal, the Indian team won with a score of 4-0, celebrating the moment of raising India's tri-colour flag on British soil. Balbir Singh Sr, K D Singh Babu, Leslie Claudius, Keshav Datt, and Trilochan Singh were among the notable members of the Indian.

 

• Cricket World Cup win - 1983

Cricket’s popularity had begun to rise in India after Independence, but the highest point for the country in the sport came in 1983. That's when the men's cricket team won the World Cup at Lord's Cricket Ground in London, England. This momentous victory sparked a cricketing revolution across the nation, intensifying the fervour for the game. It served as a defining moment, establishing India's unmistakable authority and prowess in the cricketing world.

The West Indies had been unbeatable, winning the World Cup in 1975 and 1979 under Clive Lloyd's captaincy. In the final at Lord's, they limited India, led by legendary players like Sunil Gavaskar, Kris Srikkanth, Mohinder Amarnath, and Kapil Dev, to a low score of 183 runs. However, a pivotal moment came when Madan Lal dismissed Desmond Haynes and the formidable Sir Viv Richards, shifting the match's momentum in India's favour.

Captain Kapil Dev's spectacular catch while running backwards to dismiss Richards remains an iconic memory in Indian cricket. The West Indies eventually got out for just 140 runs, and India made history by winning the World Cup.

 

• First Olympic gold medal in individual sports - Beijing – 2008

After more than five decades since India's independence in 1947, the nation had yet to secure an Olympic gold medal in individual sports. This drought was brought to an end by Abhinav Bindra's remarkable performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Bindra's historic victory in the men's 10m air rifle shooting event shattered India's long-standing quest for an individual Olympic gold, inspiring the nation and fostering a newfound belief among athletes that excellence was indeed attainable.

On August 11, 2008, the 25-year-old Bindra executed an almost flawless shot of 10.8 in the men's 10m air rifle shooting event, surpassing China's Zhu Qinan and securing the gold medal.

Scoring a total of 700.5, Bindra emerged victorious, marking a historic moment as India's national anthem resonated at the Olympics during an individual sports event for the very first time, evoking the pride of sports enthusiasts across the country.

 

• First Olympic gold medal in track and field - Tokyo – 2021

Since independence, India had not secured any medals in track and field events at the Olympics. The shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic had cast a sombre cloud over all aspects of life, including sports, worldwide. This resulted in the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics from 2020 to 2021.

As the Games finally commenced in 2021, all attention was focused on athletes like Murali Sreeshankar (Men's long jump), Kamalpreet Kaur (Women's discus throw), and Neeraj Chopra (Men's javelin throw). However, as the penultimate day of the Games arrived on August 7, India had not secured any medals in athletics. 

On August 7, Neeraj's javelin flew through the sky and landed at 87.58 meters, making history in India's sports. This was India's first time on the Olympic athletics podium. Neeraj won the gold, doing better than Jakub Vadlejch, who threw 86.67 meters.

The impact of Neeraj's historic achievement was swift and substantial. In the CWG 2022, Annu Rani secured bronze in the women's javelin throw, becoming the first Indian woman to earn a medal in this event at the Commonwealth Games. In a striking twist of fate, Annu's victory unfolded on the very same date, August 7, 2022, when Neeraj had secured his Olympic gold. Now, August 7 is celebrated as National Javelin Day, a tribute to honour Neeraj's remarkable Olympic achievement.

 

• Thomas Cup Win in Badminton - Bangkok – 2022

The Thomas Cup stands tall as a major event in badminton, renowned as the global championship for men's teams. Prior to 2022, out of all the Thomas Cup tournaments since 1948-1949, only five nations—Indonesia (14 times), China (10 times), Malaysia (5 times), Denmark (1 time), and Japan (1 time)—had clinched the title.

When the Indian team comprising stars like Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty and HS Prannoy entered the Thomas Cup in 2022, badminton experts hailed it as a strong team but none predicted them to reach the finals.

The Indian team secured an impactful victory over Denmark in the semifinals of the tournament. In the finals, India faced the formidable 14-time champions, Indonesia. With sensational rallies, the Indian team steadily accumulated points against the Indonesian opponents, ultimately winning three out of the initial five matches to claim the championship. India's resounding 3-0 win to clinch the Thomas Cup title created a significant buzz in the realm of badminton.