78th Independence Day: Times when India showed the world its prowess in sports

India's sporting journey is a tale of unexpected victories and hard-fought triumphs. From securing a surprising fourth position in football at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics to Neeraj Chopra's historic gold medal in javelin at Tokyo 2021, each milestone is a testament to country's commitment and groundbreaking achievements.

1956 When India finished 4th in football in the Olympics
Hard to believe today, but it’s true.Neville Stephen De Souza, the nippy striker, fired a delightful hat-trick, leading to India’s memorable 4-2 triumph over host Australia in Melbourne. In the semifinals, India even led formidable Yugoslavia 1-0 at one stage; poacher De Souza the scorer. The improbable was happening. But in the end, India went down 4-1. A 3-0 loss to Bulgaria in the battle for bronze meant the team finished fourth. Now, nearly 70 years later, the triumph remains India’s high point in a sport that’s largely frustrated fans.
1975: When India won a World Cup in hockey: In the previous edition of the championship, India had suffered a heart-breaking loss after missing a penalty stroke in ‘sudden death’ against the Netherlands in the final. But in Kuala Lumpur, India pulled off a famous victory overcoming Pakistan 2-1 in a thrilling final to lift the cherished trophy. Equally remembered is the 3-2 victory over Malaysia in the semifinal. At one point of time, with barely five minutes left, India trailed 2-1. Defender Aslam Sher Khan’s penalty conversion, after kissing the amulet given by his mother, is one of the unforgettable stories of Indian sports.
1983: When Kapil’s Devils became the Lords of Cricket
The story, probably apocryphal, goes that someone bet on an Indian victory and won an island. But it explains how implausible the triumph over the famed and the formidable West Indies cricket machine was. All-rounder Mohinder Amarnath was the Man of the Match. The 43-run victory, the first major sporting conquest to be telecast widely in India, set the tone for the One-Day cricket revolution.
1988: Viswanathan Anand India is one of the superpowers of world chess today. Five-time World Champion Anand started the fire. The Lightning Kid from Chennai became India’s first Grand Master in 1988. Today India has 85 GMs.
2008: Bindra becomes golden moment: In the history of Olympics, India had never won an individual gold. In Beijing 2012, shooter Abhinav Bindra wiped out a national deficiency. In the 10m air rifle category, Bindra overcame the local favourite shooting with accuracy and calm and became India's unofficial Godfinger forever.
2012: Sindhu’s double: Saina Nehwal had paved the way.
The shuttler became the first Indian to win a badminton medal, a bronze, in the London Olympics. But PV Sindhu created Indian badminton 2.0. The Hyderabad-born shuttler produced a masterclass in tenacity to wrench out a silver in Rio. Four years later, she delivered another bronze in Tokyo. In between the two was the women's singles world championship title earned in Basel in 2019. A common feature in the rise and success of both badminton players was their coach Pullela Gopichand, an all-England winner whose academy groomed a crop of top shuttlers.
2021: Neeraj Chopra: After sprinter Norman Pritchard’s two silvers in Paris 1900, India had never won another Olympic medal in athletes. Just when the nation was resigned to reducing its ambitions, Chopra came out of nowhere to claim a gold in javelin in Tokyo. This was just the beginning. He dominated his discipline in the past three years, winning the World Championship and the prestigious Diamond League. In Paris 2024, his silver was the first earned by the 117-strong contingent.
2024: Manu Bhaker
In the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics, bad luck dogged Manu Bhaker. A pistol malfunction botched the Haryana teenage shooter’s quest for a medal. The reaction was sharp. In this backdrop, Manu’s double medal haul in 10m air pistol (individual and team, with Sarabjot Singh) was an inspiring tale of redemption for the focused and determined shooter. The achievement was special because she became the first Indian to win two individual medals in a single Olympics.