IOC code IND Competitors 5 in 2 sports | Website www.olympic.ind.in Flag bearer Purma Bannerjee | |
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NOC Indian Olympic Association Medals Gold
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India sent its first Olympic team to the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, some twenty years after a single athlete (Norman Pritchard) competed for India in 1900 (see India at the 1900 Summer Olympics).
Contents
Background, Team Selection, and Logistics
In his opening remarks during a 1919 sports meet at the Deccan Gymkhana, Poona, the Gymkhana President Sir Dorab Tata expressed a desire for India to take part in the forthcoming 1920 Olympics. He requested Governor of Bombay Lloyd George, who presided over and distributed prizes at this sports meet, to secure representation for India at the Olympics through the British Olympic Committee. As a result, in February 1920, the International Olympic Committee granted India affiliation to participate in the Olympic Games. Thereafter, a committee comprising Dorab Tata, A S Bhagwat, Dr. A H A Fyzee, Prof Modak, S Bhoot, and three other Deccan Gymkhana members met in March 1920 to discuss India’s Olympic participation, and they decided to hold a trial meet in Poona in April 1920.
At this trial meet, the committee selected the following team to represent India at the Olympics: P.C. Bannerjee (Bengal) for sprints; M.C. Chowgle (Hubli) for the marathon; A. Dattar (Satara) for the 10,000m and marathon; K. Kaikadi (Belgaum) for the 5,000m and 10,000m; M. Shinde (Kohlapur) for bantamweight wrestling; and G. Nawale (Bombay) for lightweight wrestling. Sohrab Bhoot was manager and Dr. A H A Fyzee was medical officer and adviser for the team.
Funding for the Olympic team came from Dorab Tata (Rs.6,000 + Rs.2,000); the Government of India (Rs. 6,000); and donations from sportsminded residents of Bombay (Rs.7,000).
The team left Bombay on June 5 aboard the SS Mantua; it trained in London for six weeks at Stamford Bridge stadium, under English coach H. Parry; and proceeded to Antwerp. Chowgle (Chaugule) in the marathon and Shinde in wrestling put up a fairly good performance at the Games.
After the Games, Bhoot submitted a report mentioning that India could have future Olympic success in hockey and wrestling and made recommendations concerning technical, organisational, and training issues for future Olympic teams. Further, the committee sending the team met again, and, on the advice of Dorab Tata, invited Dr. Noehren (Physical Director of YMCA India) to be secretary, along with AS Bhagwat, of the provisional Indian Olympic Committee; Dorab Tata would serve as its president. This provisional committee sent an Indian team to the 1924 Olympics, and became the Indian Olympic Association in 1927.
Athletics
Ranks given are within the heat.
Wrestling
Two wrestlers competed for India in 1920. It was the nation's debut appearance in the sport. Navale was defeated in his first match, but Shinde won in the quarterfinals to reach the semifinals before losing twice to finish in fourth.