Three-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist Vinesh Phogat lost in the qualification round of the World Wrestling Championships 2022 on Tuesday. She was defeated 7-0 by Khulan Batkhuyag of Mongolia in the qualification round. This year the World Wrestling Championships is being organized in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. Vinesh's loss in the very first match of the tournament is a setback for India's medal hopes. He recently won a gold medal in the 53kg category at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham.

Also read: Commonwealth Games 2022: Full list of Indian medalists

10th seed Vinesh lost her balance in the last few seconds and was pinfall by Asian Games silver medalist Khulan. In the very beginning, Khulan took a 3-0 lead over Vinesh. Vinesh has earlier won a bronze medal at the World Championships.

Coincidentally, Vinesh defeated junior wrestler Antim in the selection trials for the World Championships. At the same time, Antim defeated the Mongolian wrestler in the final of last month's Under-23 Asian Meet. So, It was a disappointing result for Vinesh. Vinesh was a strong contender for the medal in the absence of former World Championship silver medalist Anshu Malik. She also had a favorable draw in the tournament after defending champion Akari Fujinami of Japan withdrew from injury. However, Vinesh crashed out in the qualification round itself.

Also read: World U20 Wrestling Championships 2022: Antim Panghal becomes the first Indian woman to win gold

India has not got any special result in the World Wrestling Championships 2022 so far. In the 50 kg weight category, two-time world silver medalist Emilia Alina of Romania defeated India's Neelam Sirohi 10-0 on the basis of technical efficiency. At the same time, France's Koumba Larroque, who had landed on the mat with an injured knee, defeated Shafali of India on the basis of technical proficiency in the 65 kg weight category.

Bengal, a region known for its rich culture and long history, also has a special connection to the world of sports. Many athletes from Bengal have achieved great things, with some even winning medals at the Olympic Games.

It is important to remember these champions who, over the years and through various challenges, brought Olympic glory home.

Let's explore the list of all Olympic medal winners from Bengal and revisit those glorious moments of pride.

Norman Pritchard (1900 Paris Olympics)

• Sport: Athletics
• Medals Won: 2 Silvers (Men's 200m, Men's 200m Hurdles)

Born in Kolkata (then Calcutta) in 1875, Norman Pritchard was a British-Indian athlete who holds a unique place in Olympic history as the first Asian-born athlete to win a medal. This remarkable moment arrived in the 1900 Paris Olympics, where he represented India in Athletics.

Pritchard participated in five athletics events, and clinched 2 silver medals: one in Men's 200m sprint, and another in Men's 200m hurdles.

His achievements marked history as he became the first Indian athlete to win multiple medals in a single Olympic Games and also the first medalist from Bengal.

After his sporting career, he moved to the United States and became a successful actor in silent films under the name Norman Trevor.

Read Also: Olympic Trivia: 25 Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About the Games

Carlyle Tapsell (1932 Los Angeles Olympics)

• Sport: Field Hockey
• Medals Won: Gold (Men's team)

Carlyle Tapsell, born in Adra, a town of Purulia district in West Bengal, was a vital part of India's field hockey team that brought the second Gold medal home for India in Olympic history. This period, followed by the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, is recognised as the "golden age" for Indian hockey.

Tapsell was known for his defensive strength and penalty expertise. He played along with stars like Dhyan Chand to secure a historic 24-1 victory over the host nation, the USA.

This achievement cemented India's status as the world's best hockey team and made Tapsell the second Olympic champion from Bengal.

Read Also: 8 unbreakable Olympic records: Bolt, Phelps, Kim and more

Leander Paes (1996 Atlanta Olympics)

• Sport: Tennis
• Medals Won: Bronze (Men's Singles)

Born in Kolkata, Leander Paes, who hails from a family with an incredible sporting background, wrote a memorable chapter at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. His bronze in Men's Singles Tennis ended the 44-year drought for an individual Olympic medal for India.

Paes is the only athlete to win a medal in Tennis for India. He is known for his strong will and unpredictable style, often called "junk tennis," that confused many higher-ranked opponents.

Despite suffering a wrist injury in the semi-final match, he did not give up and bagged the medal in the bronze medal match against Brazil's Fernando Meligeni, winning three sets (3-6, 6-2, 6-4).

His father, Vece Paes, was also an Olympic medalist, who won a bronze medal in hockey at the 1972 Munich Olympics. With Leander's win in 1996, they became the only father-son duo to have both won Olympic medals in different sports.

The Olympic Games are the world's oldest sporting spectacle, uniting athletes globally every four years. Medals here represent the ultimate standard of international athletic excellence. In contrast, the Commonwealth Games, known as the "Friendly Games," gather athletes from Commonwealth nations. While a major multi-sport event, its scale and competitive depth differ from the Olympics.

We bring you a direct comparison of performance in Commonwealth vs Olympics and India's medal ratios, based on their historical participation.

India's Olympic medal journey

India debuted in the Olympic Games in 1900, where Norman Pritchard, a British-Indian athlete, won 2 silver medals in athletics. This victory marked the beginning of India's medal book at the grandest stage of sport.

For a significant period following this, India's Olympic identity was primarily defined by the success of Men's Hockey team. They dominated the sport, winning six consecutive gold medals from 1928 to 1956, and adding further golds in 1964 and 1980.

India's rise in the Olympics came after the 2000s, where individual athletes proved themselves and won medals for the nation.

Read Also: Timeline: India’s rise at the Olympics

Key individual breakthroughs:

• K. D. Jadhav (1952): Bronze in Wrestling. First individual medalist for independent India. 
• Leander Paes (1996): He brought the first-ever medal for India in tennis with his Bronze medal win.
• Karnam Malleswari (2000): First Indian woman to win an Olympic medal (Bronze in Weightlifting)
• Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (2004): Silver in Shooting. India's first medal in this sport.
• Vijender Singh (2008): First Indian athlete to win a medal in Boxing (Bronze).
• Abhinav Bindra (2008): India's first individual Gold medalist (Sport: Shooting)
• Saina Nehwal (2012): Second Indian woman to win an Olympic medal. She also brought the first medal for India in Badminton with her Bronze.
• Neeraj Chopra (2020/2021): Gold in Javelin throw. India's second individual gold.
• Manu Bhaker (2024): Second Indian to win 2 medals (Bronze in shooting) in a single Olympic edition.

India's dominance in the Commonwealth Games

India's debut at the Commonwealth Games (then British Empire Games) was in 1934 in London, where Rashid Anwar won the nation's first medal – a bronze in wrestling. Over the decades, India's presence has grown, cementing its status as a leading nation within the Commonwealth sporting fraternity.

Notable achivements:

• Milkha Singh (Athletics): First Indian to win a Gold medal at the CWG, in 1958.
• Jaspal Rama (Shooting): Most successful Indian athlete at the commonwealth games. He won 15 medals overall (9 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze)
• Sharath Kamal (Table Tennis): Won 4 medals (3 gold, 1 silver) in 2022, making him India's most successful athlete at that event.
• Ami Ghia and Kanwal Thakar Singh (Badminton): First Indian women to win a medal in the CWG. They won a bronze medal in women's doubles badminton in 1978.
• Roopa Unnikrishnan (Shooting): First Indian woman to win a Gold medal at the CWG in 1998.

Read Also: Cricket removed from Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth vs Olympics – A direct comparison

OLYMPICS: India has won 41 medals in the history of Olympic Games, which includes 10 gold medals, 10 silver medals, and 21 bronze medals. India's most successful sport Olympic sport is Field Hockey (Men's team). They earned 13 medals in total.

COMMONWEALTH GAMES: India has won 564 medals in the history of CWG, with 203 gold, 190 silver, and 171 bronze medals. Their most successful sport at the games is Shooting, where they won 63 gold medals, and a total of 135 medals.

Read Also: Olympic Athletes to Watch in LA 2028 from India

India's Medal Ratios:

Most successful sport (Medals):

India's journey in Olympic Games began in 1900, but for many decades, success was limited. The nation's presence on the medal tally was defined by mostly one or two medals per edition, with the success of the Men's Hockey teams being the main reason for it.

However, the 21st century marked a turning point, as it saw India's rise at the Olympics. Their success at the Games picked up pace in several new ways.

Check out the full article to see how India's journey transformed:

1996-2008: Individual medals emerge

After years of triumph in Men's Hockey, 1996 Atlanta Olympics saw a change for India, as Leander Paes won a Bronze medal in Tennis. This victory brought in the first individual medal for India in Olympics after 44 years (previously: K.D. Jadhav won in 1952 in Wrestling).

Following this breakthrough, other individual athletes began to make their mark. In the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Karnam Malleswari made history with her Bronze medal win in Weightlifting, and became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal.

Moving to the next edition, the 2004 Athens Olympics saw another individual triumph, with a Silver medal this time. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore brought home India's first-ever medal in Shooting, laying the groundwork for India's extended talent pool beyond hockey.

In 2008, the momentum continued with Abhinav Bindra's Gold (Shooting), Vijender Singh's Bronze (Boxing), and Sushil Kumar's Bronze medal (Wrestling) in the same edition.

Read Also: Most medals by an Indian in a single Olympics

2012: Six Medals and India's Olympic Rise

The 2012 London Olympics was a truly historic moment for India. For the first time ever, India secured six individual medals in a single Olympic edition, that too in five different sports. This was not just a jump in numbers, but a clear rise for India in the Olympic Games.

Here, take a closer look at the medalists:

Gagan Narang: Bronze Medal in Shooting

Gagan Narang won India's first medal at London 2012, taking bronze in the men's 10m Air Rifle event with a final score of 701.1. He opened the medal books for India in this historic edition.

Sushil Kumar: Silver medal in Wrestling

Sushil Kumar became the first Indian to win two individual Olympic medals (previously in 2008), securing silver in the men's 66kg freestyle wrestling after a hard-fought tournament.

Saina Nehwal: Bronze medal in Badminton

Saina Nehwal earned India's first-ever Olympic medal in Badminton, securing a bronze in Women's singles. With this victory, she also became the second woman, after Malleswari, to win a medal at the grandest stage.

Yogeshwar Dutt: Bronze medal in Wrestling

Yogeshwar Dutt overcame injuries and fought through brilliantly in the men's 60kg freestyle wrestling to secure a bronze medal.

Mary Kom: Bronze medal in Boxing

In the debut of women's boxing at the Olympics, Mary Kom won a bronze in the flyweight (51kg) category, making her the first Indian woman boxer to achieve this milestone.

Vijay Kumar: Silver medal in Shooting

Vijay Kumar clinched silver in the men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol, finishing behind Cuba's Leuris Pupo.

Read Also: Olympic Athletes to Watch in LA 2028 from India

2016-2024: Sustaining the momentum in India's modern Olympic era

India has consistently built upon its Olympic success since 2012, with athletes dominating in different categories of sports. The period from 2016 to 2024 has seen new talents emerge and solidify India's rise on the global stage.

Competing on the grandest stage of them all, the Olympic Games, is an aspiration for athletes worldwide. Earning a single medal by getting ahead of the best around the world is a massive deal. But not just one win, imagine multiple medals in a single edition of Olympics? That's an extraordinary achievement.

For a nation like India, despite centuries of sporting heritage, this monumental feat has only been achieved by two athletes. 

Get ready to delve into the stats for most medals by an Indian in a single Olympics.

Read Also: Olympic Facts: Most Consecutive Olympic Gold Medals

Norman Pritchard: India's first Olympic medalist and multi-medal pioneer

• Sport: Athletics
• Olympic Edition: 1900 Paris Olympics
• Medals Won: 2
• Event: Men's 200m sprint, Men's 200m hurdles

Hailing from Kolkata, West Bengal, Norman Pritchard was a British-Indian athlete who marked India's debut in the Olympic Games with huge success. He not only holds the record of being the first-ever Olympic medalist from India, but also one of the only 2 athletes to win multiple medals in a single Olympics.

At the 1900 Paris Olympics, Pritchard secured two silver medals in athletics (Men's 200m and Men's 200m hurdles), setting the bar high and inspiring the future generations. His multi-medal success was the only standing record for over a century.

Read Also: Olympic Facts: From Youngest to Oldest to most successful medalists and more

Manu Bhaker: A modern-day multi medallist, 124 years later

• Sport: Shooting
• Olympic Edition: 2024 Paris Olympics
• Medals Won: 2
• Event: Women's 10m air pistol, Mixed 10m air pistol team

More than a century after Pritchard's historic record, 2024 Paris Olympics witnessed another extraordinary individual brilliance from an young Indian athlete. Manu Bhaker, a professional shooter from Haryana, stunned everyone with her multi-medal feat.

Bhaker became the second Indian athlete to win multiple medals in a single Olympics with her 2 Bronze medals in shooting. She won the first one at an individual event (Women's 10m air pistol) and the second one alongside Sarabjot Singh in mixed 10m air pistol team.

Acknowledging the nuance regarding Pritchard's British roots and the ongoing debate about his nationality despite the IOC crediting India, Manu Bhaker is widely considered the first Indian athlete in the post-independence era to win most medals in a single Olympics.

Indian women's wrestlers Aditi Kumari, Neha, Pulkit and Mansi Lather made it 4-on-4 by winning 4 Gold medals in 43kg, 57kg, 65kg and 73kg women's freestyle respectively in the U17 Wrestling World Championships 2024 in Amman.

Indian boys Ronak Dahiya and Sainath Pardhi already had won two bronze medals in the Men's Greco-Roman category and on Thursday it was the girl's time to bring glory to the country.

Read Also: Sushil Kumar vs Bajrang Punia: Who is India's greatest wrestler ever

Aditi, Neha, Pulkit and Mansi dominate in Women's fresstyle

Aditi Kumari defeated Maria Louisa Gkika of Grece by 7-0 in the final of the 43kg freestyle category to win India's first gold of the U17 Wrestling World Championships 2024.

After that, Neha continued the momentum for India So Tsutsui of Japan by technical superiority 10-0 in the final of the women's freestyle 57kg to clinch India's second gold. That was Neha's third win by superiority or fall in the tournament.

Pulkit then ensured India's third gold of the night and competition by beating Daria Frolova (AIN) 6-3 in the women's freestyle 65kg division.

In the end, Mansi Lather made it 4 out of 4 for India in the Women's freestyle wrestling by pinning Hanna Pirskaya (AIN) while leading 5-0 in the final of the women's freestyle 73kg category.