After Team India wrapped up their Paris Olympics campaign with six medals, including one silver and five bronze, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded the athletes for their outstanding efforts. He conveyed his best wishes for their future endeavours, stressing that every Indian takes pride in their dedication and hard work.
“As the Paris Olympics conclude, I appreciate the efforts of the entire Indian contingent through the games,” Prime Minister Modi said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“All the athletes have given their best, and every Indian is proud of them. Wishing our sporting heroes the best for their upcoming endeavors,” he added.
India sent a contingent of 117 athletes to compete across various events at the prestigious Paris Olympics. The country finished 71st on the medals tally, while the United States topped the list with a total of 126 medals.
Indian shooter Manu Bhaker was the first to open India’s medal tally in Paris, winning a bronze medal and becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic shooting medal. The 22-year-old further etched her name in history by becoming the first Indian to win two medals at a single edition of the Olympics after securing a mixed team 10m air pistol bronze with Sarabjot Singh.
Adding to India’s achievements, Swapnil Kusale bagged bronze in shooting. The Indian men’s hockey team matched their success from the Tokyo Olympics, pocketing their second consective bronze. Meanwhile, Neeraj Chopra continued to shine as India’s most successful individual Olympian by claiming a silver medal in the men’s javelin throw event.
Indian wrestler Aman Sehrawat also made history at the Summer Games, becoming the nation’s youngest Olympic medalist with a bronze in wrestling.
Despite these successes, India’s campaign at Paris 2024 was marked by several near-misses. The country narrowly missed out on six potential medals, with athletes finishing in fourth place in their respective events. Notable among these were Lakshya Sen, Mirabai Chanu, and Manu Bhaker, who were all strong contenders for medals. Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification ahead of a historic final also contributed to the nation’s heartbreak.
India had interests in 69 medal events across 16 sports at the 2024 Summer Games, including archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, equestrian, golf, hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, and tennis.
To date, India has won a total of 41 Olympic medals. The country’s Olympic journey began with Norman Pritchard’s dual silver medals at the 1900 Olympics, which were also held in Paris. KD Jadhav was the first individual athlete from independent India to win an Olympic medal, securing a bronze in wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Weightlifter Karnam Malleswari became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in Sydney in 2000.
