Independence Day 2021: India’s biggest sporting moments Post-Independence

The iconic photo of Kapil Dev receiving the 1983 cricket World Cup trophy marks a turning point in Indian sports. Kapil Dev's Team India defied all odds to beat the star-studded Clive Lloyd's West Indies team. The two-time World Champions were the firm favourites to win the clash but the Indian team registered one of cricket's biggest upset. Chasing 184 for victory in the 60-overs-a-side game at Lord's, reigning champions West Indies slumped from 50 for two to 140 all out.All-rounder Mohinder Amarnath bagged the Man of the Match in the final as he scored 26 runs and took three important wickets for just 12 runs in seven overs to spark the West Indies collapse.

On August 11, 2008, India's Abhinav Bindra made history after he shot 10.8 on his last shot to win the Gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. Bindra was tied with Finland's Henri Hakkinen before the last shot, and the 10.8 was his highest score of the final, while Hakkinen slipped to 9.7 to settle for bronze. It was India’s first-ever individual Olympic gold medal at the show-piece event.

On April 2nd 2011, India won the second World Cup and first on home soil in dramatic fashion. India had previously lifted the prized trophy in 1983 and had to wait a long time before doing it again. Sri Lanka had set India a stiff target with Mahela Jayawardene's unbeaten century propelling them to 274 for six. Thisara Perera's late blitz of 22 off 9 balls had given the Lankans the momentum going into India's chase.India got off to the worst possible start with Virender Sehwag sent back to pavilion on the second ball. His opening partner Sachin Tendulkar didn't stick around too long either, as he was dismissed in the 7th over to put India on the backfoot.But an 83-run partnership between Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli steadied India and brought them back into the contest.After Kohli's dismissal, Dhoni promoted himself and with Gambhir forged a 109-run stand to take India put India within touching distance. Gambhir fell three short of a deserved century and in walked the Player of the World Cup -- Yuvraj Singh. The stylish left-hander, along with skipper Dhoni, got India over the line with 10 balls to spare with the latter remaining unbeaten on 91 off just 79 balls. Dhoni finished it off with a six off the bowling of Nuwan Kulasekara.

Neeraj Chopra became an overnight sensation after he clinched the elusive athletics gold medal in the Olympics to become only the second Indian to win an individual yellow metal at the Games.Earlier, the Javelin star gained a whopping 14 places to occupy the second spot in the men’s javelin throw world rankings after his historic gold in the Tokyo Games. The 23-year-old Chopra, who sent the spear to 87.58m to clinch India’s maiden Olympics athletics medal on Saturday, was at a lowly 16 before the Tokyo Games with an average performance score of 1224.Neeraj Chopra’s historic gold-winning feat in the Olympics was listed as one of the 10 magical moments of track and field in the Tokyo Games by World Athletics.

India chased down 328 in the final Test to end Australia's 32-year unbeaten run at the Gabba, Brisbane. India's memorable win at The Gabba not only saw the team script history, but also ensured they toppled Australia in the ICC Test Team Rankings to claim the second spot.It took 32 years and two months, but the unthinkable was achieved on Tuesday as an injury-ravaged young Indian team defeated Australia by three wickets against all odds in the final Test to take the series 2-1.The last time a visiting team came out triumphant from the Brisbane Cricket Ground was back in November 1988 when the mighty West Indian outfit under the leadership of Viv Richards thrashed Allan Border's team by 9 wickets. What makes the feat even more commendable is how the Indians fought multiple injuries and mental fatigue - due to the bio-bubble restrictions -- to register a historic win.

The IPL (Indian Premier League) is the biggest franchise cricket tournament globally, and it was the first league to be started in the cricket world. Launched in 2008, by Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI), the tournament, has proved to be a runaway success. It has reinvented the game of cricket in the country. On 13 September 2007,on the back of India's victory at the 2007 T20 World Cup, BCCI announced a franchise-based Twenty20 cricket competition called Indian Premier League. The first season was slated to start in April 2008, in a "high-profile ceremony" in New Delhi. BCCI vice-president Lalit Modi, who spearheaded the IPL effort, spelled out the details of the tournament including its format, the prize money, franchise revenue system and squad composition rules. It was also revealed that the IPL would be run by a seven-man governing council composed of former India players and BCCI officials and that the top two teams of the IPL would qualify for that year's Champions League Twenty20. Modi also clarified that they had been working on the idea for two years and that the IPL was not started as a "knee-jerk reaction" to the ICL.The league's format was similar to that of the Premier League of England and the NBA in the United States. In the inaugural edition, it was Rajasthan Royals who managed to win the tournament.

Team India led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni comprised of a young unit won the first ever World T20 tournament in 2007. The win marked India's second ICC world title and their first since Kapil Dev won the 1983 World Cup. MS Dhoni had pulled off a masterstroke in the final against arch-rivals Pakistan. India registered a five-run win.