Thread by @AbhishekPonia

All of India’s Olympic glory, since independence, summed up in one THREAD.

Enlisting all Indian Olympic medalists

#threadsbyAP

Olympics is the BIGGEST global sports event. EVERY athlete dreams of success here.

@Olympics

India has competed in all editions of the Olympics since independence. Let’s take a look at our achievements at this sporting spectacle.

First up, here is a list of All INDIVIDUAL medalists from India:

@WeAreTeamIndia

1. KD JADHAV

Year: 1952
Sport: Wrestling
Medal: Bronze 🥉

Mr. KD Jadhav is the first Indian to win a medal at the Olympics in an individual sport!
It is said that he had to run from pillar to post to raise enough funds to participate in the Olympics.

2. Leander Paes (@Leander )

Year: 1996
Sport: Tennis
Medal: Bronze 🥉

It took 44 years for India’s 2nd individual medal to come.
Leander, who interestingly, is considered a Doubles specialist, won the Bronze for India in Men’s Singles!

3. Karnam Malleswari (@kmmalleswari )

Year: 2000
Sport: Weightlifting
Medal: Bronze 🥉

Karnam Malleswari Mam created history by becoming the FIRST INDIAN WOMAN to win a medal at the Olympics.

4. Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (@Ra_THORe )

Year: 2004
Sport: Shooting (double trap)
Medal: Silver 🥈

Col. Rathore became the First Indian shooter to win a medal at the Olympics. He also gave India its first individual Silver medal.

5. Abhinav Bindra (@Abhinav_Bindra )

Year: 2008
Sport: Shooting (10m air rifle)
Medal: GOLD🥇

Mr. Abhinav Bindra is India’s FIRST OLYMPIC GOLD Medalist (individual). He has captured his journey in his book “A Shot at History: My Obsessive Journey to Olympic Gold”. A must-read!

6. Vijender Singh (@boxervijender )

Year: 2008
Sport: Boxing
Medal: Bronze 🥉

Vijender became the first boxer from India to win a medal at the Olympics! He was one of 3 medalists at the 2008 Olympics.

7. Sushil Kumar (@WrestlerSushil )

Year: 2008 & 2012
Sport: Wrestling
Medal: Bronze 🥉 & Silver 🥈

Sushil Kumar is the FIRST Indian to win two medals at the Olympics. His 2008 Bronze medal was India’s second in Wresting…. that came after 56 years.

8. Gagan Narang (@gaGunNarang )

Year: 2012
Sport: Shooting (10m air rifle)
Medal: Bronze 🥉

After narrowly missing out in 2008, Gagan returned with a Bronze in 2012, fulfilling his dream!

9. Captain Subedar Major Vijay Kumar Sharma

Year: 2012
Sport: Shooting (25m rapid pistol)
Medal: Silver 🥈

Almost completely unheard of, Vijay Kumar surprised the whole nation with a Silver medal. This was India’s second medal in shooting at the 2012 London Olympics.

10. Mary Kom (@MangteC )

Year: 2012
Sport: Boxing
Medal: Bronze 🥉

A mother to 3 kids, Mary Kom is one of the most inspiration women in the country. She brought home a Bronze medal in her first Olympics.

11. Yogeshwar Dutt (@DuttYogi )

Year: 2012
Sport: Wrestling
Medal: Bronze 🥉

From almost giving up the sport, Yogeshwar Dutt came back to participate in his third Olympics & fulfilled his dream of a medal in 2012.

12. Saina Nehwal (@NSaina )

Year: 2012
Sport: Badminton
Medal: Bronze 🥉

Saina became the FIRST Indian to win a medal at the Olympics in Badminton! She has inspired many girls to take up sports as a career.

13. PV Sindhu (@Pvsindhu1 )

Year: 2016 & 2020
Sport: Badminton
Medal: Silver 🥈 & Bronze 🥉

Sindhu is the FIRST INDIAN WOMAN to win TWO MEDALS at the Olympics!
She is one of the reasons India is now considered a powerhouse in Badminton!

14. Sakshi Malik (@SakshiMalik )

Year: 2016
Sport: Wrestling
Medal: Bronze 🥉

Sakshi is the first Indian woman to win a medal in Wrestling!
She was one of just two Indian medalists at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

15. Mirabai Chanu (@mirabai_chanu )

Year: 2020 (2021)
Sport: Weightlifting
Medal: Silver 🥈

First time India won a medal on the first day of the Olympics, thanks to Mirabai!
Interestingly, both of India’s medals in weightlifting have come from Women!

16. Lovlina Borgohain (@LovlinaBorgohai )

Year: 2020 (2021)
Sport: Boxing
Medal: Bronze 🥉

An almost unheard name, Lovlina bronze was India’s second medal at the Tokyo Olympics!

17. Ravi Kumar Dahiya (@ravidahiya60 )

Year: 2020 (2021)
Sport: Wrestling
Medal: Silver 🥈

One of the most exciting wrestlers to watch, Ravi Kumar Dahiya ensured India’s medals tally in Wrestling keeps going.
Since 2008, India has won a medal in Wrestling in each edition.

18. Bajrang Punia (@BajrangPunia )

Year: 2020 (2021)
Sport: Wrestling
Medal: Bronze 🥉

One of the medal hopefuls, Bajrang lived up to expectations & brought home India’s second Wrestling medal at Tokyo Olympics!

19. Subedar Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1 )

Year: 2020 (2021)
Sport: Javelin throw
Medal: GOLD 🥇

- FIRST EVER medalist for India in track-&-field
- FIRST EVER medalist in Javelin
- SECOND Indian individual to win a GOLD
- FIRST Indian to win GOLD on @Olympics debut

Summing up all Individual medals for India:

GOLD 🥇: 02
SILVER 🥈: 06
BRONZE 🥉: 13

MEN: 13
WOMEN: 08

Coming to TEAM Sports, ALL of India’s medals have come in MEN’s HOCKEY! At one time, it was the strongest Hockey team in the world!

Since independence, Indian Men’s Hockey team has won 9 medals:
GOLD 🥇: 05
SILVER 🥈: 01
BRONZE 🥉: 03

@TheHockeyIndia

In TOTAL,

India (@WeAreTeamIndia ) has won a total of 30 MEDALS at the Olympics, in 74 years & across 19 editions!

50% of these medals have come in the last three @Olympics editions!

Over decades, India has made huge advancements in technology, manufacturing, defence, etc etc.
But have we made such progress in Sports?
In Cricket, yes! But is that because BCCI is a privately run organisation??

Yes agreed that Tokyo Olympics has been our best Olympics ever! And we should rightly celebrate the performances there!

BUT a population of about 139 crore people, an Olympics continent of just 127 athletes … winning 7 medals!

I hope more athletes emerge from this country! I urge parents to recognise the potential of Sports… and encourage kids to take it up as a career proposition!

Hopefully we will see more medals for India in the future at international events!
Jai Hind!

END.