India's Historic Accomplishments in the Olympics
The 2004 Athens Olympics saw another breakthrough for India when Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore became the country's first shooter to secure an Olympic medal, winning silver in Men's double trap shooting.
India made history in the 2008 Beijing Olympics by winning three medals for the first time ever. This successful stint included an impressive performance by Abhinav Bindra who won India's first-ever individual gold medal in Men's 10m air rifle shooting, further elevating the nation's tally to 20.
The 2012 London Olympics saw India double their best-ever medal tally, securing six medals. Among the achievers were Saina Nehwal, who grabbed India's first-ever badminton medal, and Sushil Kumar, who became the first Indian to win two individual Olympic medals.
However, the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics saw a decline in success for India with only two medals won. PV Sindhu and Sakshi Malik made their mark, with Sindhu securing her first Olympic medal and Malik becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to secure an Olympic medal.
The Covid-affected 2020 Tokyo Olympics turned out to be India's most successful Olympic stint ever, as the country won seven medals, taking the overall tally to 35. During this historic run, PV Sindhu became the first Indian woman to win multiple Olympic medals, and Neeraj Chopra won the nation's first-ever gold medal in Athletics.
