Memories are made of this

TOI takes a look at the big achievements that made India proud in the sporting arenas.

Hockey

Olympic gold (8 times) Men’s team (1928 Amsterdam, 1932 Los Angeles, 1936 Berlin, 1948 London, 1952 Helsinki, 1956 Melbourne, 1964 Tokyo, 1980 Moscow) 1975 World Cup winners. The hockey team may be currently going through a dry period but there was a time when India ruled the world. Ah! memories.

Shooting

Olympic gold (2008 Beijing), Abhinav Bindra. Olympic silver (2004 Athens), Rajyavardhan Rathore. While Rathore provided a silver lining, Bindra went a step better by becoming the only individual to win an Olympic gold for the country.

Chess

World Chess Championship (2000, 2007, 2008, 2010) Viswanathan Anand. The man is truly the king. Could give Sachin Tendulkar a run for his money in the ‘greatest Indian sportsman’ stakes.

Badminton

All England Championship winner Prakash Padukone (1980), P Gopi Chand (2001). At a time when the All England was the premier championship, Padukone and Gopi flew the tricolour high.

Billiards

World Billiards Championship winner Wilson Jones, Michael Ferreira, Geet Sethi, Pankaj Advani (all multiple champions). The country’s tradition in the game has been preserved by various champions across the decades.

Tennis

Leander Paes: Olympics singles bronze medalist (1996 Atlanta), Grand Slam doubles champion (6), mixed doubles champion (6)

Mahesh Bhupathi: Grand Slam doubles champion (4), mixed doubles champion (7). Paes and Bhupathi, together and apart, have set new standards in the game.

Golf

USPGA Tour winner, Arjun Atwal Down and out, Atwal found the strength within to become the first Indian winner on golf’s final frontier.

Boxing

Olympic bronze (2008 Beijing) Vijender Singh: The Bhiwani boxer outpunched his Ecuadorian opponent to script a first for India in Olympic history.

Wrestling

World Champion (2010), Olympic bronze (2008) Sushil Kumar Olympic bronze (1952 Helsinki) KD Jadhav Sushil Kumar did for wrestling what Vijender did for boxing. But spare a thought for pioneer Jadhav. People don’t remember his name. Now is the right time.