From winning hockey Olympics gold medals to lifting the
50-overs Cricket World Cups to Abhinav Bindra's Olympic gold, here's a look at
how India have fared in the world of sports since Independence.
As India completes 70 years of Independence, India Today
celebrates the laurels won by the country at
global events in the world of sports. India remains the only team to
have won eight gold medals in men's hockey at the Olympics. The country has won
the Cricket World Cup twice while Abhinav Bindra remains India's only
individual gold medallist in Olympics.
Here's a look at what India achieved after Independence in
sports from athletics to cricket.
1940s - POST INDEPENDENCE
India won their first Olympic gold post Independence in 1948
at the London Olympics in field Hockey. India continued with their stranglehold
in the sport even after Independence adding to the three gold medals they had
earlier won in 1928, 1932 and 1936.
1950s
The Indian national football team created history by winning
gold at the Asian Games at New Delhi in 1951.
India remained a powerhouse in men's field hockey in 1952
Olympics at Helsinki as well with yet another solid performance to finish on
top of the podium.
Khashaba Jadhav became India's first individual Olympic
medallist after Independence when he finished with bronze in wrestling
(bantamweight) at the 1952 Helsinki Games.
The Indian cricket team's first ever Test series victory
came in 1952-53 when Pakistan toured India for the first time for a five-match
series. India emerged victorious 2-1.
Four years later in 1956, at the Melbourne Games too, India
continued to dominate the world. Again, finding no challenger for the top
prize, they bagged their sixth gold in men's hockey.
In 1958, Milkha Singh became the first Indian athlete to win
an individual gold at the Commonwealth Games at Cardiff. Mikha, also known as
The Flying Sikh, is best remembered for his fourth-place finish in the 400
metres final at the 1960 Olympic Games.
1960s
In the 1960 Rome Games, India finished runners-up in field
hockey but four years later at Tokyo, they bounced back in style to clinch
their seventh gold medal.
In 1962, the Indian football team again finished as the best
side to clinch the gold medal in the Asian Games at Jakarta.
There was much joy in cricket as well. India's first away
Test series victory came in 1967-68 in New Zealand where all four matches
produced results. India won the series 3-1.
1970s
India had never won a Test series against the West Indies
home or away but in the 1971 series in the Caribbean, India made history by
beating the cricket powerhouse 1-0 in three-Test series. The great Sunil
Gavaskar also made his debut in the same series. He started his career with 65
and 67 not out in his first Test which was instrumental in India's victory.
Later in 1971, India toured England, who were high in
confidence after winning the Ashes series in Australia. India too were
confident of creating an upset after their victory over highly-fancies West
Indies. India drew the first two Tests before beating England in the third and
final Test to win their first ever series in England 1-0.
In 1979, India recorded their first Test series victory over
Australia, winning the six-match series 2-0.
1980s
After a gap of three Olympics where India failed to win the
top prize, the 1980 Olympics in Moscow was a memorable one for Indian men's
hockey. They were back to their best proved the world why they have won the
most number of gold medals in the sport. However, unfortunate as it may sound
the 1980 gold medal was India's eighth and the last gold medal in hockey. Since
then India have struggled to maintain that spark and have even failed to finish
in top three.
In 1983, Kapil Dev-led Team India stunned the world by
winning the World Cup at Lord's. India defeated the favourites and the two-time
defending champions West Indies by 43 runs in the final to win the mega prize.
In 1987, Sunil Gavaskar became the first batsman ever to
score 10,000 runs in Test cricket. Gavaskar scored 63 against Pakistan at
Ahmedabad to breach the 10000-run barrier.
Viswanathan Anand became India's first chess grandmaster in
1988. Anand was also the first recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award
in 1991-92, India's highest sporting honour.
1990s
After 16 years, Leander Paes broke India's jinx at the
Olympics, when he settled for bronze medal in men's singles tennis.
In 1999, Anil Kumble became only the second bowler after
Englishman Jim Laker to pick all 10 wickets in an innings of a Test match.
Kumble achieved the feat against Pakistan at New Delhi.
2000s
Karnam Malleswari became the first Indian woman to win an
Olympic medal when she finished third to get a bronze in weightlifting in
women's 69kg category at the Sydney Games.
In 2001, Harbhajan Singh became the first Indian to bag a
hat-trick in Test cricket. Playing at Eden Gardens, Harbhajan removed Ricky
Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne to help India beat Australia for one of
the best comeback victories recorded in Test cricket.
In 2004, Virender Sehwag became the first Indian Indian
batsman to slam a triple century in Test cricket. The triple ton was special as
it came in Pakistan's Multan. India won the first and the third Test to record
their first ever series win in Pakistan.
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore became India's first shooter to
win laurels for the country in the sport. In 2004, at the Athens Olympics
Rathore finished second to get a silver medal in men's double trap shooting
event.
In 2007, a young cricket team led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni
won the inaugural World Twenty20 title in South Africa.
In 2008, Abhinav Bindra created history by bagging gold in
men's 10m air rifle event at the Beijing Games. His gold remains the country's
first and only individual gold medal till date. India's two other rising stars
boxer Vijender Singh and wrestler Sushil Kumar also finished with bronze
medals.
Sachin Tendulkar etched his name in the history of world
cricket by slamming 200 not out agaisnt South Africa at Gwalior in an ODI
match. He became the first batsman ever to achieve the feat.
Suresh Raina became the first Indian to score a hundred in
T20 Internationals. He achieved the landmark against South Africa at Gros Islet
in World T20 in 2010.
In 2011, India became the first team to win the Cricket
World Cup at home. An out-of-form MS Dhoni promoted himself up the batting
order and played the captain's knock as India defeated Sri Lanka in the final.
Sachin Tendulkar became the first man on the planet to hit
100 international centuries. He achieved the feat when he hit 114 against
Bangladesh in the Asia Cup.
In the 2012 London Games, India produced their best ever
medal hauls to bring home six medals - two silvers and four bronze. Shooter
Vijay Kumar and wrestler Sushil bagged silver medals while shooter Gagan
Narang, boxer Mary Kom, wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and shuttler Saina Nehwal
settled for bronze medals.
In 2013, MS Dhoni became the first and the only captain to
win all ICC trophies when India defeated hosts England in the final to lift ICC
Champions Trophy.
In 2013, Sachin Tendulkar played his 200th Test thus
becoming the first player ever to play as many matches in the longest format.
Tendulkar also retired from international cricket after his 200th Test.
In 2014, Rohit Sharma became the first batsman ever to score
his second double century in ODIs. Rohit also rewrote history books by smashing
the highest individual score of 264 vs Sri Lanka at Kolkata.
In 2016, India's top stars and medal hopes faltered at the
big stage. Saina Nehwal, Yogeshwar Dutt and shooting stars all failed to repeat
their 2012 feats. However, shuttler PV Sindhu and wrestler Sakshi Malik ensured
India return home with couple of medals. While Sindhu ended runner-up in
women's badminton single final, Sakshi bagged bronze and became first woman
wrestler from India to win an Olympic medal.
Virat Kohli became the first-ever batsman to score double
hundreds in four consecutive Test series. He scored double hundreds against the
West Indies, New Zealand, England and Bangladesh in the 2016-17 cricket season.
Pankaj Advani has dominated the world billiards for several
years now. He has won 16 world titles (12 billiards and 4 snooker). Advani made
his international competitive debut at the Asian Billiards Championship 2002.
He has also won gold medals at the 2006 and 2010 Asian Games.
