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Chequered history

The Commonwealth Games started in Hamilton, in 1930, with only 400 athletes from 11 countries. India’s tryst with the event began four years later, in London, 13 years before independence. As an independent India plays host to the biggest-ever Games, The Telegraph looks back at our highs and lows...

Some of India’s finest moments...

MILKHA SINGH’S GOLD, IN CARDIFF, 1958

The only one to win an athletics gold medal for India in the Commonwealth Games. The “flying Sikh” won a nail-biting battle in the 440 metres race. To his credit, Milkha pipped the then world record holder Malcolm Clive Spence of South Africa in a photo finish.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY TEAM GOLD IN MANCHESTER, 2002

Not even India’s ardent fans could ever imagine the women’s hockey team would win the gold medal. Yet they made it possible after defeating England 3-2 in the final. India finished third in the group league and trailing 0-3 against Canada, they bounced back to win the semis 4-3. The event inspired the 2007 hit film Chak de India.

SHOOTING TEAM’S PERFORMANCE IN MELBOURNE, 2006

The strength of Indian shooting was finally acknowledged at the international arena when the squad bagged 16 gold, seven silver and four bronze medals. Led by “goldfinger” pistol shooter Samresh Jung, it was a terrific show with top marksmen like Abhinav Bindra, Gagan Narang, Rajyavardhan Rathore, Jaspal Rana and Tejaswani Sawant also coming up with great efforts.

SAMRESH JUNG’S FIVE GOLD MEDALS IN MELBOURNE, 2006

In a memorable performance, pistol shooter Samresh Jung clinched five gold, one silver and one bronze medal to win the David Dixon award for the best athlete of the Games. Dubbed as “goldfinger”, he would have won another gold medal in the standard pistol individual competition, but he fell out of contention as his gun malfunctioned.

PRAKASH PADUKONE’S GOLD IN EDMONTON, 1978

The first Indian to win an individual badminton gold in Commonwealth Games. Prakash Padukone’s superb run in the international arena began at Edmonton and in the next four years, he bagged every major title, including All-England, World Cup and the Masters. In the final, Padukone defeated England’s Derek Talbott in straight games.

MOHAMMED ALI QAMAR’S GOLD IN MANCHESTER, 2002

Born into the ghettos of Kidderpore in Calcutta, the light flyweight pugilist went on to become the first Indian to win a boxing gold medal in the Commonwealth Games. In the final, pitted against title favourite Darren Langley of the home team, Qamar erased four points deficit in the final round to register a stunning win.

ANJALI BHAGWAT’S FOUR-GOLD EFFORT IN MANCHESTER, 2002

Except for P.T.Usha, no Indian woman has ever performed as dominantly in the international sports arena as rifle shooter Anjali Bhagwat. Having won four gold medals (individual and team gold medals in 50 metres rifle 3 positions and women’s air rifle events) in Manchester, she instantly became a favourite for Olympics but couldn’t live up to her reputation in Athens.

JASPAL RANA’S GOLD MEDALS IN 1994, 1998, 2002 AND 2006

The pistol shooter will go down as one of the most consistent performers in the Games history. In Victoria, 1994, Rana won a gold in the centre fire pistol event, and bagged twomore gold in the air pistol individual and team events in Kuala Lumpur four years later. He repeated his performance in the men’s 25 metres centre fire pistol in 2002, and won another gold in the pairs with Samresh Jung in 2006.

4 x 400 METRES WOMEN’S RELAY SILVER IN MELBOURNE, 2006

Never a force in Commonwealth Games athletics, the Indian women quartet of Chitra Soman, Manjit Kaur, Pinki Paramanik and Rajwinder Kaur did India proud by winning the silver. Apart from Milkha Singh’s gold in 1958, this remains one of India’s most important athletics medal in the history of the event.

WRESTLING TEAM IN MANCHESTER, 2002

The men’s wrestling team dished out a heartening performance in Manchester, to clinch three gold medals. While Ramesh Kumar won the 66 kg freestyle title, Krishan Kumar in 55 kg and Palwinder Singh in the 120 kg were the other winners.

... And, some of the worst

Edinburgh Games, 1986

Though India have been doing well in shooting, wrestling and boxing, their performance in athletics has always remained below the desired level. Barring Milkha Singh in 1958, no other Indian could ever win a gold medal. P.T.Usha could have emulated Milkha in 1986 but India’s boycott of the Games ended her chances.

Auckland Games, 1990

It was at Auckland Commonwealth Games in 1990 that an Indian weightlifter failed dope test for the first time in a major event. Subroto Pal’s name may have slipped into obscurity, but a host of Indian lifters have remained frequent dope offenders since then. Pal was flown back from Auckland in disgrace.

Kuala Lumpur Games, 1998

Hockey was introduced in the Games in 1998, with Australia notching up a hattrick of gold medals in 1998, 2002 and 2006. Though Pakistan bagged the silver in 2006 and the bronze in 2002, India could never win a medal in the three editions of the tournament. The only time they reached the semi-final was in 1998, before losing to England on penalties.

Melbourne Games, 2006

In a major embarrassment for the country, an Indian masseur was charged with sexually harassing a teenage girl in the cleaning department in the Games Village in Melbourne, 2006. The masseur was immediately placed under suspension, his accreditation cancelled and passport confiscated.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101003/jsp/sports/story_13012027.jsp