Field hockey has always been India’s strongest sport, especially at the Olympics. India is the most successful team in Olympic history in this sport, with a total of eight gold medals. Although their dominance waned after 1980, the team has made a remarkable comeback in recent years. At the Tokyo Olympics, India’s men’s hockey team ended a 41-year medal drought by winning the bronze medal, reigniting hopes for future success.
India’s Olympic journey began in 1900, even under British rule, but their dominance in hockey started in 1928 with Dhyan Chand leading the team. Under his leadership, India won gold medals in the 1928, 1932, and 1936 Olympics. As an independent nation, India won its first gold medal in hockey, led by Balbir Singh Sr., and continued to secure top honors in the 1952 and 1956 Olympics. However, India settled for silver in the 1960 Rome Olympics after losing to Pakistan in the final.
Despite fluctuations in performance in subsequent games, India still clinched gold medals in hockey in 1964 and 1980 and secured bronze in other events. After 1980, a significant medal drought ensued, but the team, led by Manpreet Singh, made history on August 5, 2021, by winning the bronze medal in Tokyo. They defeated Germany 5-4, marking India’s first medal in hockey in 41 years.
India’s Performance in Field Hockey at the Olympics:
Total Medals – 12
Gold – 8
Silver – 1
Bronze – 3
India’s Hockey Squad for Paris Olympics 2024
Defenders:
- Jarmanpreet Singh
- Amit Rohidas
- Harmanpreet Singh
- Sumit, Sanjay
Midfielders:
- Rajkumar Pal
- Shamsher Singh
- Manpreet Singh
- Hardik Singh
- Vivek Sagar Prasad
Forwards:
- Abhishek
- Sukhjeet Singh
- Lalit Kumar Upadhyay
- Mandeep Singh
- Gurjant Singh
Alternate Players:
- Nilakanta Sharma
- Jugraj Singh
- Krishan Bahadur Pathak
India’s Schedule at Paris Olympics
July 27: India vs New Zealand – 9 PM IST
July 29: India vs Argentina – 4:15 PM IST
July 30: India vs Ireland – 4:45 PM IST
August 1: India vs Belgium – 1:30 PM IST
August 2: India vs Australia – 4:45 PM IST
