Aug 7, 2024
By: Kapil Yadav
The eighth edition of the modern games, the Amsterdam Olympics, was held in 1928. This became the starting point of India’s Olympic hockey gold-winning streak. The team, under the captaincy of Jaipal Singh, played exceptionally well with Dhyanchand scoring 14 goals.
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Crushed under the effects of the great depression, India struggled to even raise funds for the Los Angeles Angeles Olympics in 1932. But the Indian hockey team proved itself worthy by scoring 35 goals in two matches and clinching a gold for the second time.
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This time under the captaincy of the ‘wizard’ Major Dhyan Chand, the Indian hockey team made history at the Berlin Olympics in 1936 by winning the gold medal for the third consecutive time.
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The 1948 London Olympics marked India's first appearance as an independent nation. The Indian team, led by Kunwar Digvijai Singh and featuring Balbir Singh, clinched their fourth Olympic gold medal with a 4-0 victory over Britain. This triumph came at a crucial time, symbolising a proud new chapter for India.
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Despite being in unfamiliar situations in Finland, the Indian hockey team displayed remarkable skills and teamwork in the 1952 Olympics. It played exceptionally well and ended the campaign by adding the fifth gold to India’s Olympic hockey medals.
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By this time, India had become the undisputed world champion of Olympics hockey, and the 1956 Melbourne Olympics proved to be no different. Led by the legend, Balbir Singh Sr, the Indian team defeated Pakistan by 1-0 and won a second Olympic hat-trick.
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After its defeat in the Rome 1960 Summer Olympics to the Pakistani hockey team, the Indian team was under pressure to regain the title. Fuelled with revenge, the team’s determination was reflected in its performance, as it reclaimed the gold from its neighbour.
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After facing defeats in 1968 and 1972 and sinking to an all-time low in 1972, the Moscow Olympics in 1980 started on an unfamiliar note for the Indian team. But the situation eventually changed. Led by captain Vasudevan Baskaran, India once again proved its worth by scoring 4 against Spain and bagging their 8th gold, which remains the last gold India ever won in Olympic hockey
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