Tokyo Olympics 2020: The countdown to Tokyo Olympics 2020 has started. The Indian team is also fully prepared to spread its glory in the Maha Kumbh of sports. This year the Indian team looks strong and well prepared. A team of 126 players is going to the Olympics from India this year. This is the largest contingent ever sent from India to any Olympics. This time India will participate in 69 events of 18 sports disciplines. This will also be the first time when India will participate in different competitions of various sports disciplines. The first team of Indian players will leave for Tokyo on July 17.
This year all eyes will be on India's medal contenders including badminton player PV Sindhu, boxer MC Mary Kom, and Amit Panghal. People will also watch out for wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Neeraj Chopra in javelin throw, and Manu Bhaker in the shooting event. Apart from this, the Indian hockey team is also a strong contender for the medal this year. Let us tell you how India has performed so far in the history of the Olympics and in which year it won the maximum medals.
1) History of India in Olympics
The modern Olympic Games were started in Greece in 1896. Norman Pichard participated in these games for British-ruled India in the 1900 Paris Olympics. He won silver medals in men's 200m and 200m hurdles. Olympic historians do not include Pichard's performance in India's medals. Britain has also claimed that Pichard participated in the Olympics on its behalf. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) records both the silver medals won by Pichard in Paris in the name of India.
After Paris, India could not participate in the next 3 Olympic Games. Sir Dorabji Tata and the Governor of Bombay, George Lloyd, got India membership of the IOC with their tireless efforts. . Thereafter, India officially sent its team for the first time in the 1920 Antwerp (Belgium) Olympics. 2) India had sent a team of 6 players in 1920. . Whereas in 1924, a team of 15 players from India participated in the Olympics. . India was represented by 118 players in the 2016 Rio Olympics. . This year a team of 126 players is going to the Olympics.
3) India has won 28 medals so far
From 1900 to 2016, India has won 28 medals in the Olympics. These include 9 gold, 7 silver, and 12 bronze medals. India has won the most medals in hockey so far in Olympic history. India has won 11 medals in hockey. In hockey, India has won 8 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze medal. While in shooting India has won 4 medals. Apart from this, India has won 5 medals in wrestling, 2 each in badminton and boxing, and 1 each in tennis and weightlifting.
In the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, the hockey team got India its first gold medal. After this, the Indian hockey team won consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles (1932), Berlin (1936), London (1948), Helsinki (1952), and Melbourne (1956). This time is also called the golden period of Indian hockey.
The 1952 Helsinki Olympics is very special for India. That year Kasaba Dadasaheb Jadhav won the first individual medal for India. Jadhav won the bronze medal in the freestyle 57kg category of wrestling. In the shooting event of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Abhinav Bindra won India's first and so far the only individual event gold medal.
4) Most medals won in London Olympics
In terms of the number of medals, the 2012 London Olympics have been the most successful for India so far. India won 1 silver medal and 4 bronze medals in 2012. Sushil Kumar in wrestling and Vijay Kumar in shooting won silver medals for India that year. Apart from this, MC Mary Kom in boxing, Saina Nehwal in badminton, Yogeshwar Dutt in wrestling, and Gagan Narang won bronze medals in shooting.
India's performance in the last Rio Olympics was disappointing, and India had to be content with only 1 silver medal and 1 bronze medal. PV Sindhu won a silver medal for India in badminton, and Sakshi Malik won a bronze medal in wrestling. This year India is a strong contender for medals in badminton, wrestling, boxing, and shooting.