Journey of a Nation 75 Years of Indian Sports Game, Guts, Glory

When Balbir Singh Sr was dropped from the 1948 Olympic hockey final, Indian students in London erupted in protest for his comeback. He was inducted in the team and the rest is history. His teacher mortgaged his own house to fund Olympics trip for his pupil. This pupil was Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, India’s first individual Olympic winner. On the day of the final, this shuttler had taken the London tube, carried his kit, and walked to the court. Prakash Padukone would later become the first Indian to win the All England Open Badminton Championships. Stories of triumph are often written in tribulations. As India celebrates 75 years of Independence, we look back at sporting achievements of this country and revisit the moments that made memories.