Another Indian summer of Olympic underachievement

Why did the world's most populous nation and fifth largest economy finish 71st in the medal table? Namita Singh talks to experts and former Olympians to uncover the root causes

- Namita Singh

India had to wait until the 13th day of the Paris Olympics to secure a medal higher than bronze, with flag-bearer Neeraj Chopra’s silver in the men’s javelin sending a wave of celebration tinged with relief through the medal-starved country.

India sent a contingent of 117 athletes to Paris, yet have a paltry haul of five bronze medals and Chopra’s solitary silver to show for it. They rank 71st in the medals table, below the likes of Hong Kong, Taiwan, North Korea, Cuba and Saint Lucia – a Caribbean island of just 180,000 people.

It’s a disappointing return to the norm for a country that registered its best-ever performance at the last Games in Tokyo in 2021: seven medals, including one gold. For the most populous nation on Earth, a sports-mad country of 1.4 billion which also boasts the world’s fifth largest economy, it’s a record as frustrating as it is puzzling.

India have won just two golds in the last three decades: the men’s 10m rifle shooting at Beijing 2008 and Chopra’s javelin heroics three years ago. Until Tokyo, it had won a grand total of 28 medals across 36 Olympics, the same tally as the individual record of American swimmer Michael Phelps.

Speaking to The Independent, experts and former Indian Olympians explain that there’s no one quick fix that could bring the country a gold rush at Los Angeles 2028. Widespread poverty and malnourishment remain serious issues preventing millions of young people from reaching their sporting potential – but there is also a chronic lack of investment even at the elite level in the country.