Indian Army Athletes Who Won Olympic Medals for India

Major Dhyan Chand remains one of hockey's greatest names, and rightfully so. Star of India's dominant pre-World War II hockey team, he powered India to three consecutive Olympic golds in 1928, 1932, and 1936. His extraordinary ball control earned him the epithets 'Hockey Wizard' and 'The Magician'. National Sports Day is held to celebrate Major Dhyan Chand.

Born Dhyan Singh in Allahabad, he began playing seriously during his stint with the British Indian Army, competing in regimental tournaments between 1922 and 1926. Peers called him 'Chand'—moon—for his moonlit practice sessions after duty hours, which caught the Indian Hockey Federation's attention ahead of Amsterdam 1928.

Colonel Balbir Singh Kular (Retd), a stalwart of Indian hockey, was part of the 1966 Asian Games gold-winning team and the 1968 Mexico Olympics bronze-medal squad. An Arjuna Award recipient, he captained India at the 1971 World Cup in Lahore and went on to serve as player, coach, manager, and selector, shaping generations of hockey talent.

He previously served in 4 SIKH (formerly 36 SIKH, the Saragarhi Battalion). He shared a close bond with late Lt Gen Harbaksh Singh, VrC, a great hockey player and the hero of the 1965 Indo-Pak War, and late Lt Col Anant Singh, MVC, MC, who was the hero of the Battle of Barki.

His memoir, An Olympian's Tryst with Soldiering, captures a life split between the parade ground and the hockey field - and the once-unbreakable bond between the Services and Indian sport.

Buy here: An Olympian's Tryst with Soldiering: From Sansarpur to the Saragarhi Battalion (4 SIKH)

Col Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (Retd) combined military service with sporting excellence to script a historic chapter in Indian Olympic history. After serving in the Indian Army, including during the 1999 Kargil War, he transitioned to competitive shooting and achieved a breakthrough at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Competing in the double trap event, Rathore won the silver medal, becoming the first Indian to claim an individual Olympic silver and the country's first Olympic medallist in shooting. His achievement paved the way for India's future success in the sport.

Honorary Captain Vijay Kumar, AVSM, SM, etched his name in India's sporting history with a silver medal in the men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event at the 2012 London Olympics. A soldier of the Dogra Regiment, he joined the Indian Army in 2001 and refined his skills at the Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU).

His Olympic success made him one of India's most celebrated shooters, complementing an impressive career. Decorated with the Padma Shri and Arjuna Award, his excellence at international championships continues to inspire the next generation in the Armed Forces and beyond.

Subedar Major Neeraj Chopra, PVSM, VSM, rewrote history at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal in athletics with a javelin throw. He added a silver at Paris 2024, cementing his place among India's greatest athletes.

Commissioned into the Indian Army's Rajputana Rifles, Chopra trained at the Army Sports Institute, Pune, balancing military discipline with world-class athletic ambition. A recipient of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal, he remains a towering symbol of the Army's sporting legacy.

Subedar Murlikant Petkar (Retd) gave India its first-ever Paralympic gold, winning the 50m freestyle swimming event at the 1972 Heidelberg Games with a world-record time of 37.33 seconds. A soldier of the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, he was left paralysed below the waist after sustaining bullet wounds during the 1965 Indo-Pak War at the Sialkot sector. Refusing to let disability end his sporting spirit, Petkar rebuilt himself into a champion swimmer, inspiring coming generations of Paralympic athletes.

Lieutenant Colonel Haripal Kaushik, VrC, was one of India's distinguished soldier-sportsmen who excelled both on the battlefield and the hockey field. A decorated officer of the Indian Army and recipient of the Vir Chakra for gallantry during the 1962 Sino-Indian War, Kaushik was also a key member of India's Olympic hockey teams. His team won a gold medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and a silver medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics, contributing significantly to India's dominance in international hockey.

The Indian Army has a long tradition of honouring sporting excellence by conferring honorary ranks on its athletes—a gesture that formally recognises Olympic achievement while cementing the soldier-sportsman bond.

Neeraj Chopra: India's most successful individual Olympian was conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army, with the appointment coming into effect on 16 April 2025. He had joined the Army as a Naib Subedar in 2016, rising through the ranks to Subedar (2021) and Subedar Major (2022) before this honorary elevation.

Abhinav Bindra: India's first individual Olympic gold medalist at Beijing 2008 was also conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in recognition of his landmark achievement in shooting.

Shankar Lakshman: One of India's greatest hockey goalkeepers, Shankar Lakshman played a crucial role in India's gold medal victory at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and the silver medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics. He was awarded the honorary rank of Captain.

Mohinder Lal: A member of India's celebrated hockey team, Mohinder Lal was part of the squad that won the gold medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. His contribution to the nation's Olympic legacy was later recognised with the honorary rank of Captain.

Breaking barriers both in military service and elite sport, India's women in uniform are redefining what it means to serve the nation. Here are two of them who have shown excellence in both:

Hailing from Bhiwani, Haryana, Lamboria was inducted into the Indian Army through the Sports Quota in 2022 after clinching a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games 2022. She became one of two women military personnel to debut for India at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Her real triumph came after the Paris Olympics: she made history as the first female boxer in the Army to win a gold medal at the 2025 World Boxing Championship. She was awarded the Sena Medal in January 2026.

A Rohtak-born freestyle wrestler and Indian Navy officer, Hooda made history as the first Indian woman to qualify for the Olympics in the heavyweight 76kg category. She earned her place after winning a bronze medal at the 2023 Asian Wrestling Championships. Known for her strength and resilience on the mat, Hooda's Olympic qualification was a landmark moment for women in military sports.

Beyond Olympic medallists, the Indian Armed Forces have produced several outstanding athletes who have represented India at the world's biggest sporting event.

Naib Subedar Milkha Singh: Popularly known as the "Flying Sikh," Milkha Singh served in the Indian Army before emerging as one of India's greatest track and field athletes. He represented India at the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Olympic Games, with his fourth-place finish in the 400m final at the 1960 Rome Olympics remaining one of the most iconic performances in Indian athletics. In recognition of his achievements, he was later conferred the honorary rank of Captain.

Petty Officer Tejinder Pal Singh Toor (Shot Put): A distinguished athlete of the Indian Navy, Tejinder Pal Singh Toor is one of India's finest shot putters. A two-time Asian Games gold medallist and multiple-time Asian champion, he has represented India at both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Manish Kaushik: An accomplished boxer and JCO in the Indian Army, Manish Kaushik represented India in the men's lightweight (63kg) category at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. A silver medallist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and a bronze medallist at the 2019 AIBA World Championships, Kaushik has been one of India's leading amateur boxers.

The achievements of Indian Army athletes at the Olympic Games are a testament to the values of discipline, resilience, and unwavering commitment that define military service. Equally inspiring is the rise of women in uniform, whose participation at the Olympics marks a new era of inclusivity and opportunity in the Armed Forces.

Through world-class training initiatives, dedicated sports institutions, and a culture that nurtures talent, the Indian Army continues to play a vital role in shaping India's sporting success. As more athletes in uniform step onto the Olympic stage, they carry not just the hopes of a nation, but also the enduring spirit of service and excellence that defines the Armed Forces.

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