How India hit a century of medals at the Asian Games

In a historic moment for Indian sports, the nation secured a remarkable 100 medals-107 exactly-at the Asian Games 2023 held in Hangzhou, People's Republic of China. The crowning achievement was announced on a backdrop of excitement and anticipation in New Delhi as the city prepared to host a World Cup match. Golf, sepak takraw, sailing and bridge made it to the final tally of sports discipline.

- SUNIL YASH KALRA

This achievement represents a remarkable evolution in India's performance on the Asian Games stage. Just two decades ago, in 2002 at the Busan Asian Games, India had secured a modest 36 medals. However, the nation's commitment to sports and its athletes has steadily driven improvement. By 2006, during the Doha Games, India's medal count had surged to 53, and it further climbed to 65 medals in 2010 at the Guangzhou Games. There was a slight dip in 2014 at the Incheon Asiad, where India acquired 57 medals. Nevertheless, India made a triumphant comeback at Jakarta and Palembang five years ago, achieving a record-breaking tally of 70 medals, marking their best-ever performance at that time.

This momentous achievement marks the first time that India has crossed the 100-medal mark at the Asian Games. It is a significant milestone, particularly considering that India had the honour of hosting the inaugural Asian Games in 1951 in Delhi and was second only to Japan at the time. Now, in 2023, India ranks fourth among Asian nations in terms of medals won.