It was a historic achievement that many in India hoped could prove a turning point for the giant country following many decades of underperformance at the Olympics. But 16 years, four Summer Games and just one additional gold medal later, those dreams have largely failed to materialize.
India, home to more than 1.4 billion people, is the world’s most populous country, according to the United Nations. In 2022, India surpassed Britain as the world’s fifth largest economy, and last year became one of just four countries to successfully land a spacecraft on the moon. And it’s led by an ambitious prime minister who has widespread influence on the global stage. But when it comes to the Olympics, India punches below its weight.
