Indian hockey team has completed 100 years. (Photo-PTI)
100 years of Indian Hockey: The journey of Indian hockey, which started in the year 1925, continues even today. The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) was established in 1925 in Gwalior. The very next year, the Indian team took a tour of New Zealand, where Dhyan Chand made his mark for the first time. In these 100 years, India has won 13 medals (8 gold, 1 silver and 4 bronze) in the Olympics. During this period, Team India had registered 10 big victories. Let us tell you which are those 10 big victories?
1. Won first gold in Olympics
Hockey was started in India in 1925. Just 3 years later, the Indian team made its name famous across the world by winning the gold medal. in 1928 amsterdam olympics India won the gold medal by defeating Netherlands 3-0. India did not concede a single goal in this tournament.
2. Did a great job in Los Angeles too
After winning the gold medal in Amsterdam Olympics, India repeated the same history after four years. In the 1932 Olympics held in Los Angeles, the Indian team again won the gold medal by defeating America 24-1 in the hockey final. Till date no one has been able to break this record. Dhyanchand had scored 8 goals in this match. Roop Singh had scored 10 goals.
3. Hat-trick of gold medals in Berlin
In the Olympics held in Berlin in 1936, the Indian hockey team won a hat-trick of gold medals. In the title match, India defeated Germany 8-1. in this olympics Major Dhyanchand Had captained the team.
4. India registered a memorable victory in London
One year after independence, India registered a memorable victory in London. In the 1948 London Olympics, the Indian team defeated Britain 4-0 and won the gold medal. This moment was the most emotional moment in Indian sports history.
5. India won fifth consecutive gold
Four years after registering a spectacular victory in the London Olympics, the Indian hockey team maintained its dominance in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. By defeating Netherlands 6-1 in the title match, Team India won its fifth consecutive gold in the Olympics. Balbir Singh Senior had scored 5 goals in this match.
6. Won gold by defeating Pakistan
After independence, India and Pakistan faced each other for the first time in the Olympic Games held in Melbourne in 1956. In this hockey title match, India defeated Pakistan 1-0 and won its sixth consecutive gold medal in the Olympics. India had scored a total of 38 goals in this Olympics. Out of these, Udham Singh alone scored 15 goals. This is the record for the most goals scored by any Indian in the Olympics so far.
7. Took revenge for defeat from Pakistan
India took revenge for its defeat at the hands of Pakistan in the 1960 Olympics in 1964. In the Tokyo Olympics, Team India won the seventh gold by defeating Pakistan 1-0 in the final.
8. India won the first World Cup
The Indian hockey team has won the World Cup title only once so far. In the year 1975, the Indian team defeated Pakistan in the World Cup final in Kuala Lumpur and captured the title.
9. Team India won gold medal in Moxo
After a wait of 14 years, the Indian team once again won the gold medal in the Olympics in 1980. Team India won its eighth gold medal by defeating Spain 4-3 in the Olympic Games held in Moscow. Since then, Team India has not yet been able to win the gold medal in the Olympics.
10. Won medal after 41 years
After a long wait of 41 years in the Olympics, the Indian hockey team won the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics in the year 2021. Team India defeated Germany 5-4 in the quarterfinals. After this, the Indian team also won bronze in the Paris Olympics in the year 2024.