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Remembering top 10 sporting moments in India’s 75 years since Independence

Former Indian cricketer of 1983 World Cup winning team Sunil Gavaskar (L) shares a light moment with the other team members during a function organised in New Delhi on June 25, 2008, to felicitate the 1983 Cricket World Cup winning team. (Photo by MANPREET ROMANA/AFP via Getty Images)

By: Shubham Ghosh

India on Monday (15) completed 75 years since attaining freedom from the British rule. The country has achieved a number of milestones in the arena of sports all these years and here we list top 10 of them:

Winning eight golds in hockey at Olympics:

India dominated hockey at the Olympics for several years post Independence. They won the gold in the sport at the marquee event for the first time in 1928 as British India (total three times in the pre-Independence era) and five times after Independence between 1948 and 1980. India’s record of clinching eight golds in hockey at the Olympics is still unparalleled.

Winning gold at Asian Games football in 1951 and 1960:

India won the gold medal at the Asian Games football tournament twice. The first time they achieved the feat was in 1951 when they defeated Iran 1-0 in New Delhi. The second crown came in 1962 when they beat South Korea 2-1 in the final held in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Winning cricket world cups in 1983, 2007 and 2011:

Three of India’s top moments in multilateral cricket came in 1983, 2007 and 2011 when they won two 50-over and one 20-over world cup. Kapil Dev was the captain in the 1983 edition while Mahendra Singh Dhoni led them to the crown in 2007 and 2011. Besides, India have also won five world crowns in cricket’s Under-19 category.

Milkha Singh’s gold at 1958 Cardiff Commonwealth Games: 

‘Flying Sikh’ Milkha Singh became the first Indian to clinch a gold medal at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in the 440 yards (400 metres now) category. He did it in less than 47 seconds.

Prakash Padukone’s All England Open win in 1980:

Prakash Padukone made India proud in 1980 when he clinched the All England Open in badminton at the age of 24. It was India’s first triumph at the prestigious tournament and the legend was the first Indian ever to achieve the feat. Pullela Gopichand won it in 2001.

Vishwanathan Anand wins Chess World Championship in 2000:

India’s legendary chess player Vishwanathan Anand, a grandmaster, created history in 2000 when he became the first player from the country to the Chess World Championships. He has five championship titles.

India win hockey world cup in 1975:

India have won the world cup in hockey only once and it came in 1975 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, when they defeated arch-rivals Pakistan 2-1 in the final. India was led on that occasion by Ajit Pal Singh.

India’s best performance at the Commonwealth Games in 2010:
The 2010 Commonwealth Games were held in India and the host nation produced its best ever performance in the quadrennial event. India won 101 medals in all that included 38 gold, 27 silver and 36 bronze. It was the only instance when India won more than 100 medals at a Commonwealth Games event and finished second after Australia.

India’s top show at Tokyo Olympics 2020:

Indian sportspersons had a dream run at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 held in the Japanese capital in 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Neeraj Chopra gave the country a gold in javelin throw, a first for the nation. India finished with their best-ever medal haul of seven (one gold, two silver and four bronze). India also revived their past glory in hockey as they won the bronze in Tokyo, a medal in the sport after 41 years. The women’s hockey team also came close to winning a medal as they finished fourth.

India finished fourth in 1956 Olympic football:
It is perhaps India’s best show in an international football tournament. The South Asian side defeated hosts Australia 4-2 in the Melbourne edition of the Olympics but narrowly missed a medal as they lost 1-4 against Yugoslavia in the semi-final and 0-3 against Bulgaria in the bronze-medal-determining match.

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