Asian Games 2023: From PT Usha's record haul to Milkha Singh's legacy, India's history in showpiece event

India have taken part in every edition of the prestigious Asian Games since it’s inception in 1951.

Asian Games 2023: Complete schedule of events, live streaming details

In the upcoming edition, India will field 655 athletes, who will compete across 40 disciplines.

Since 1951, India have gone onto win 672 medals at the Asiad, and in the 2018 edition in Jakarta India claimed a record 70 medals, including 16 gold.

India have won a gold medal in each of the previous editions of the Asian Games, and are the fifth most successful country at the Games.

Asian Games 2023: New sports introduced and the ones making a return

Milkha Singh, the sprint legend, won 200m and 400m gold medals at the 1958 Asian Games, and four years later, he would go onto will two golds yet again, in the 400m and 4x400m relay at the 1962 Asian Games.

PT Usha went onto win four gold medals at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul. Her victories included the 200m, 400m, 400m hurdles and the 4x400m relay categories. Usha would go onto end her career with 11 Asian Games medals, that includes four gold and seven silver medals.

Fast forward to 2018 in Jakarta, Neeraj Chopra created history by becoming the first Indian to win gold in javelin throw at the Asian Games.

Asian Games 2023: Neeraj, Satwik-Chirag and other top Indian medal contenders

Dutee Chand, meanwhile, clinched India’s first medal in the 100m event since PT Usha’s silver medal at the 1982 Asian Games.

Hima Das won three medals in 2018 Asian Games, two golds and a silver.

India have also been successful in Kabaddi at the Asian Games. India have won 11 medals in Kabaddi, with nine of them being gold medals. The men’s team have emerged victorious in each of the editions since 1990 to 2014, whereas the women’s team clinched gold in 2010 and 2014.

India’s success in hockey

For generations, the Indian hockey team has had a lasting legacy in events like the Asian Games and the Olympics. As far as the men’s hockey team is concerned, they have missed out on the top three on just one previous occasion in the Asian Games: When they finished fifth in 2006.

The men’s team have gone onto to win 15 medals in Asian Games hockey, including three gold, nine silver and three bronze medals.

The women’s team, meanwhile, have won gold just once in the Asian Games, in 1982 edition. Overall, the women have won six medals in total.

With India sending one of their largest contingents to the Asian Games, a lot of hopes will be pinned on favourites like Neerj Chopra, Satwik-Reddy pair, Avinash Sable among other contenders. Come the Asian Games, India will look to go a step further and possibly breach the 70-medal mark from five years ago.