Rank Report and Awards

Review and Analysis of India's Performance at Paris Olympics 2024

 Performance Highlights of Indian Athletes at Paris Olympics 2024

- Despite a drop in the overall medal tally, India secured medals in events like javelin throw, shooting, and made significant strides in others like badminton. 

- Neeraj Chopra bagged a silver medal for javelin throw, becoming India's fifth two-time Olympic medallist.

- Woman shooter Manu Bhaker won two medals, becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic shooting medal, and the first Indian athlete to win two medals in a single Games.

- Swapnil Kusale won the first-ever Olympic medal for India in the 50m rifle 3 positions event.

- Lakshya Sen, a break-through athlete became the first Indian to reach the semi-finals in men's badminton at the Olympics and finished fourth.

Challenges and Roadblocks in Securing Olympic Medals

- Talent Identification: Unsatisfactory and inconsistent scouting of young athletes, especially in remote areas.

- Limited Infrastructure and Resources: Absence of necessary facilities and resources for training.

- Dominance of Cricket: Unequal distribution of sports capital, with 87% being allocated to Cricket, leading to underdevelopment of other sports.

- Inadequate Sports Policies: Fragmented and underfunded policies and initiatives hinder athletes' potentials.

- Deeper Socio-Cultural Issues: Societal preference for academia over sports, complex social stratification, and corruption and politics in sports administration.

Potential Measures for Performance Improvement at Olympics

- Grassroots Development: Early identification and nurturing of sporting talent.

- Investment in Infrastructure: Establishing state-of-the-art training facilities and access to top-notch coaching.

- Empowering Athletes: Allowing sportspeople to participate in decision-making for transparency and accountability.

- Collegiate Sports System: Development of a system akin to the NCAA in the US to balance academics and athletics.

- Cultural Shift: Changing societal attitudes towards sports by integrating them into education systems and motivating families to support sports-related careers.

- Increased Government Support: Substantial and consistent funding for Olympics sports.

Current Sports Development Initiatives in India

- Khelo India and National Sports Development Fund (NSDF): Promoting sports and games at the grassroots level.

- Sports Authority of India (SAI): A range of schemes for youth and senior sports promotion.

- National Sports Awards: Recognizing and encouraging excellence in sports.

- Scheme for Sports & Games for People with Disabilities: Training and support for athletes with disabilities.

- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan: Federally funded program for building sports complexes at the block level under the Fit India Movement.

The performance of the Indian contingent at Paris Olympics 2024 has sparked a serious discourse on the need for improving the country's sports infrastructure, policies and promoting a culture that fosters athletic excellence.