In 70 minutes 70 years ago, Independent India won its first 'Gold' medal in hockey at Olympics
In 70 minutes 70 years ago, Independent India won its first 'Gold' medal in hockey at Olympics
70 year's ago, Indian men's hockey team won its first-ever gold medal at the Olympics as an independent nation. After getting independence, Indian men's hockey team registered a historic triumph over Great Britain by 4-0.
In the year 1908, Field hockey was introduced in the Olympics. India won the gold in 1928, 1932, and 1936. In the year 1940 and 1944 hockey games were not held on account of World War II.
The bollywood movie 'Gold' based on independent India’s first gold at the Olympics, releasing on Independence Day(15th August).
Balbir Singh was the highest goal scorer for his team despite playing only two matches.
The former hockey player Balbir Singh captured the mood in his autobiography ‘The Golden Hat-Trick – My Hockey Days’.In Delhi, President Rajendra Prasad and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru came to see a match that had been arranged at the National Stadium…The press claimed that 70,000 people watched the match that day…The enthusiastic spectators hoisted us on their shoulders, patted us and touched us, as if they were paying a tribute to heroes returning home from a fierce battle", as quoted in Indian Express.
Further Balbir cited that “We were ruled by British for 200 years. Our social settings and attitudes change a lot in 15 years; imagine being ruled for 200 years. 1948 was the first time when our flag went up, and the real socio-cultural importance of that gold was the Queen and the entire paraphernalia standing up to salute us, barely 10 months after we became an independent nation" as quoted in Firstpost.