The 22nd Commonwealth Games is starting on 28 July in Birmingham. India's 213 players will participate in 16 sports. Further in this article, we will know how India's performance has been so far in the history of the Commonwealth Games? Who won the first medal in this event for the country? We will also know why a section in the country is against India's participation in these games.
Organizing for 92 years
At the beginning of the 20th century, Britain ruled over 40% of the world. The Festival of the British Empire was started in 1911 to celebrate the British Empire. As part of this festival, in 1930, for the first time in Hamilton, Canada, multisports events with the participation of the countries under the Empire were started. It was first called the British Empire Games and later it was named the Commonwealth Games. Since then these games are being organized every four years except in 1942 and 1946.
There are two reasons against the Commonwealth Games in India
India became independent in 1947 and today is the fifth largest economy in the world. India's GDP is now around the UK GDP. In such a situation, a large section of the country has been raising voices against India's participation in the Commonwealth Games. They say that this event is a symbol of Britain's slavery, so India should stop participating in it. Another reason for opposition to the Commonwealth Games is the low level of competition. The standard of the Commonwealth Games has been lower than that of the Olympic and Asian Games. Some experts believe that participating in these sports does not improve Indian players. They become complacent after defeating the weak players and the air of this complacency goes out in the Olympics.
Now know the history of India's performance in the Commonwealth Games
India has participated in this event held once in four years except in four editions (1930, 1950, 1962, and 1986). India made its debut in the Commonwealth Games held in London in 1934. The Indian contingent at the London Commonwealth Games consisted of six athletes, who competed in 10 track and field events and one wrestling event. India won only one medal in its first Commonwealth Games. Wrestler Rashid Anwar won the bronze medal in the men's 74kg freestyle wrestling event. It was India's only medal in these games for the next 24 years. In 1958, Milkha Singh, popularly known as Flying Sikh, won the first gold medal for the country.
India became the superpower of the Commonwealth Games in the 21st century
India has so far won a total of 503 medals in the Commonwealth Games. Of these, 350 medals he won in the last 5 Commonwealth Games. India had won only 153 medals till the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia. That is, in the last 5 seasons, India's performance has increased by more than 200 percent.
Women athletes also made a mark at the Commonwealth Games
The 1958 Cardiff Commonwealth was historic for women's participation, with track and field athletes Stephanie D'Souza and Elizabeth Davenport becoming the first Indian women athletes to compete at the Commonwealth Games. While men dominated the winners' list in the initial years, Indian women have also improved their performance in the last few editions.
Discus thrower Krishna Poonia won the second gold for India in athletics at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. She became the second player after Milkha Singh to do so. This gold medal in this field came after a long wait of 52 years.
India remained in top-5 in the last five events
Since the 2000s, India has consistently been among the top 5 countries in the points table. In the 2002 Manchester CWG, India finished fourth with 69 medals. In the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, the Hindustani contingent finished fourth with 50 medals. In the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games, India won 101 medals and finished second on the leaderboard with 39 gold, 26 silver, and 36 bronze medals. It remains India's most successful Commonwealth Games to date.
Now know the benefits of participating in the Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games was once a symbol of slavery, but today it is the third largest multi-sport event in the world. The Commonwealth Games are held just before the Asian Games. This gives Indian athletes a chance to better prepare for the Asian Games. Also, it takes place between two Olympic Games. This gives players a chance to test themselves in terms of the Olympics.
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