**When did India first participated in the Olympic Games?**
VerifiedExplanation:
India's Olympic journey began in 1900 at the Paris Olympics, marking the country's debut on the world's biggest sporting stage. However, it's important to understand that this participation was quite different from how we see Indian Olympic teams today.
The sole representative of India at the 1900 Paris Olympics was Norman Pritchard, an Anglo-Indian athlete who competed in athletics events. Pritchard participated in multiple track and field events and notably won two silver medals - one in the 200m dash and another in the 200m hurdles. This made him India's first Olympic medalist, though at that time, India was still under British colonial rule.
It's fascinating to note that Pritchard's participation represented India even though the country hadn't gained independence yet. He competed wearing the Indian colors and was officially recorded as representing India, not Britain. This makes his achievement even more significant in Indian Olympic history.
After 1900, India continued to participate in subsequent Olympic Games. The country sent its first official team to the 1920 Antwerp Olympics, where they competed primarily in athletics and wrestling. However, it was much later, at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, that India achieved its first gold medal as a team in field hockey.
The 1900 Paris Olympics were quite different from modern Olympic Games. They were held as part of the World's Fair and stretched over several months. The organization was less formal, and many athletes weren't even sure they were competing in the Olympics until years later. Despite these unusual circumstances, Norman Pritchard's participation marked the beginning of India's long and eventful Olympic journey that continues to this day.
