India has a history of illustrious records in the Asian Games, with remarkable achievements that span over a period of time. From being the host of the tournament for the first time to scripting memorable victories across different sports, The Indians are sending their largest ever contingent to Hangzhou.Lets dive into the top five moments that define the exceptional journey of the nation.India became the hosts:India became the host of the inaugural edition of the Asian Games in 1951 and subsequently in 1982, which laid the foundation for its legacy, showing its ability as a sporting nation. The 1951 Games were officially inaugurated by President Rajendra Prasad, and India outperformed many competitors and stood second in the medal tally with 15 gold medals and 51 medals overall in the opening edition of the Asian Games, while Japan secured first place in 24 medals.Football golds:The Indian squad, led by Sailen Manna, shined through as India secured an astonishing 1-0 victory over Iran in the final clash. Many eminent and prominent personalities were in attendance, including Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and India outshined Iran to claim the prestigious gold medal in 1951. Eventually, in 1962, India clinched their second gold in football by defeating Korea 2-1 in Jakarta.Hockey win in 1998:The Indian hockey team managed to secure ninth place at the World Cup in 1998. Following the disappointing performance by the team in Bangkok, it reached with determination to regain its lost glory. Led by skipper Dhanraj Pillay, the team performed exceptionally well and defeated South Korea 5-3 in a shootout to secure the gold medal. Captain Pillay scored 11 goals in six games and played the backbone role of the team to ensure that they returned home with their heads high.Milkha Singhs gold:Indias remarkable era in track and field events was initiated by Milkha Singh. Indian athletics owes very much to him. The Flying Sikh won not only one but two gold medals in the 200-meter and 400-meter sprinting events at the Tokyo Olympics in 1958. With this accomplishment, he became known as Asias fastest man and was promoted from sepoy to junior commissioned officer.Neeraj Chopras incarnation:The victory in 2018 provided the perfect platform for the beginning of Neerajs amazing javelin throw journey. The top podium performance cemented Neerajs status as the upcoming star in the javelin competition, despite the fact that he had previously won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and won age-group competitions. Eventually, Neeraj went on to win the Olympic gold medal three years later and the World Championship gold last month.
