Huge achievements across sports signify India’s rise as a sporting nation in 2024

New Delhi: With historic achievements in chess, cricket, athletics, shooting, Para-sports, boxing, wrestling, tennis, and table tennis, 2024 significantly brought into focus India’s rise as a sporting nation with ambitions of hosting the Summer Olympics in 2036.

From Manu Bhaker’s historic twin bronze medals and Neeraj Chopra’s silver in javelin throw highlighting India’s strong performance at the Paris Olympics followed by the country’s most successful Paralympic campaign in the French capital to double gold medals in the Chess Olympiad followed by Gukesh Dommaraju becoming the youngest-ever classical World Chess Champion and the 37-year-old Koneru Humpy ending the year with a historic second title in Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship — 2024 was a year of brilliant performances and pathbreaking achievements.

With the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi showing a lot of interest, sports have evolved from being a mere pastime to a respected career option, inspiring millions of young Indians to pursue their athletic dreams.

Amid all this, PM Modi remained the biggest cheerleader for Indian sports in 2024.

PM Modi has consistently engaged with athletes at various events, including the Olympics and national games. Even his speeches frequently highlight the successes of Indian athletes on international platforms, instilling a sense of pride among citizens.

A) After the Paris Olympics, he praised both medallists and those who narrowly missed out on podium finishes, emphasising that every athlete’s journey contributes to India’s sporting legacy.

B) Ahead of the Paris Paralympics 2024, PM Modi publicly wished the Indian contingent success, stating that their courage and determination inspire the entire nation. After the event, all the players were invited to the PM’s residence where Modi welcomed them and lauded their efforts at the Games. Para-Olympian Yogesh Kathuniya called PM ‘Param Mitra’ highlighting the encouragement each player receives from him.

C) During a meeting with Neeraj Chopra, the gold medallist javelin thrower, PM Modi made a heartfelt gesture by connecting with his mother. He shared a light-hearted moment about how he was eagerly waiting for her to prepare her famous churma after Chopra’s victory at the Tokyo Olympics. This personal touch not only showcased Modi’s warmth but also highlighted the importance of family support in an athlete’s journey.

PM Modi felt emotional when he received a special gift from chess star Vantika Agrawal. She gifted him a treasured photo from the ‘Swami Vivekananda Mahila Chess Mahotsav’ in 2012, where PM Modi, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, was awarded to her.

The Prime Minister’s vision to see India hosting the Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games in 2036 took a concrete step forward with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) submitting a formal Letter of Intent to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Future Host Commission, marking India’s formal bid for this prestigious global event.

Though it is yet not clear which city the government wants to host the Olympics in 2036, Ahmedabad is being mentioned as the front-runner in unofficial circles, it will be a challenge for the country to bag the hosting rights for the 2036 Olympics.

The Modi government’s ongoing support for programs like Khelo India and TOPS continued to contribute significantly to India’s rise in international recognition. The ‘Khelo India’ scheme, aims to foster a mass movement for promoting sports excellence across the country. With an annual budget of USD 119 million, the scheme covers grassroots talent identification and development and provides scholarships to more than 2,700 children each year.

Under the Khelo India Scheme, a total of 2,781 athletes (KIAs) have been identified and are provided with comprehensive support, including specialised coaching, equipment, medical care, and a monthly allowance. For the Paris 2024 Olympics, 28 KIAs were part of the Indian contingent of 117 athletes, highlighting the program’s ongoing success and the critical role of KIAs in enhancing India’s performance in national and international sports events.

Similarly, India’s Paralympic team, featuring 18 Khelo India athletes, has secured 29 medals, the highest ever at the Paris Paralympics 2024.

The Indian government’s unwavering commitment to sporting excellence has been evident through a historic funding allocation of over Rs 470 crore for the Paris 2024 Olympics. The Modi government demonstrated unparalleled support in ensuring that athletes have the best environment to thrive, providing 40 portable air conditioners to the athletes at the Olympic Games Village.

Though the Indian contingent failed to fulfill the dream of winning medals in double-digits, there were significant achievements.

Manu Bhaker created history by becoming the first Indian to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics. Swapnil Kusale added a third medal in shooting to make it India’s biggest haul in a sport in a single edition of the Olympics. Neeraj Chopra became the most successful individual Olympian after he claimed a silver medal in the Javelin throw. Aman Sherawat became India’s youngest Olympic medallist when he won bronze in wrestling.

India’s most successful Paralympic campaign to date unfolded at the 2024 Paris Games, where Indian athletes achieved an extraordinary feat, securing a record-breaking 29 medals — 7 gold, 9 silver and 13 bronze. This achievement marks a new pinnacle in India’s Paralympic history, showcasing the nation’s growing prominence on the world stage.

Avani Lekhara clinched gold in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1, while Nitesh Kumar dominated in badminton, winning gold in the Men’s Singles SL3. Sumit Antil and Dharambir added to the tally with golds in Men’s Javelin Throw F64 and Men’s Club Throw F51, respectively. Archery saw Harvinder Singh secure gold in the Men’s Individual Recurve Open, while Navdeep Singh triumphed in the Men’s Javelin Throw F41. Many more athletes contributed to the nation’s impressive medal count, making it a truly collective achievement for Indian para-sports.

In chess, Gukesh D. became the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, bringing immense pride to India by achieving this historic feat at the young age of 18. Throughout 2024 the legacy of chess continued with prodigious talent like Vaishali Ramesh Babu who has been awarded the title of Grandmaster by FIDE. Vaishali is the third Indian female Grandmaster, joining Koneru Humpy and Harika Dronavalli.

India’s chess team made history at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Hungary, clinching gold in both the Open and Women’s sections. The women’s team secured the first-ever gold medal at this prestigious event. It all ended with Koneru Humpy regaining the Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship after a gap of five years. The 37-year-old from Vijayawada finished with 8.5 points after beating Indonesia’s Irene Sukandar in the final round in New York. The win helped Humpy move ahead of the other six joint leaders, including compatriot D. Harika, who had to settle for fifth place.

The cricket team was not far behind as under Rohit Sharma’s leadership, the men’s team clinched the T20 World Cup 2024 with a brilliant victory against South Africa in the final, India’s second title in T20 format after winning in the inaugural edition in 2008.

Among other achievements in cricket, Virat Kohli, one of India’s finest cricketers, was recognised with the ICC ODI Player of the Year 2023. Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav won the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year 2023 award.

There were also major achievements in other sports, which brought these lesser-known sports to the mainstream.

Divyakriti Singh, a 23-year-old equestrian dynamo, secured a noteworthy Arjuna Award and earned her place as the first Indian woman to accomplish this feat in the domain of equestrian.

At the start of the year, Rohan Bopanna became the oldest player to win a Grand Slam title when he partnered Australia’s Matthew Ebden to win the men’s doubles title at the Australian Open. In singles, Sumit Nagal had modest success as he earned main draw entries in all four Grand Slams.

India’s women’s doubles pair of Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee made history, securing a historic bronze medal, the country’s first-ever medal in the category, at the Asian Table Tennis Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.

India’s wrestlers earned four silver and five bronze medals at the Asian Wrestling Championships in Kyrgyzstan, proving their mettle on the continental stage. India clinched seven gold, 11 silver, and 11 bronze medals to finish third at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships 2024 held in Dubai.

India’s Gulveer Singh set a national record in the men’s 10,000m event at the Hachioji Long Distance 2024 athletics meet in Japan. India’s Man Singh claimed the gold medal at the Asian Marathon Championships 2024 with a personal best timing of two hours, 14 minutes, and 19 seconds (2:14:19) in Hong Kong, China.

In boxing, India’s Mandeep Jangra won the U.S.-based National Boxing Association’s intercontinental super featherweight title after defeating American Gerardo Esquivel at Toppenish City, Washington. India edged out Chinese Taipei and China to bag the silver medal at the Maruhaba Cup, a team event in the Asian Surfing Championships 2024 at the picturesque Thulusdhoo island in the Maldives. In the Junior World Wushu Championship, the Indian team bagged a rich haul of seven medals including two golds in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.

Apart from these, in a significant boost to women’s cricket in India, UP Warriorz, a Women’s Premier League (WPL) team owned by Capri Sports, has been recognised by UN Women as a ‘Generation Equality Ally’.

With such historic achievements spread across 2024, this remarkable year for Indian sports underscores the relentless dedication and talent of the nation’s athletes and the country’s rise as an emerging sporting power.

–IANS