Olympics and Paralympics: Host Cities, India Medal Winners, Records and Important Facts for SSC Sports Current Affairs

Olympic Games questions are among the most predictable in SSC sports current affairs: host cities, India’s medal winners and India’s record. This guide on Olympics and Paralympics for SSC gives the host cities, a table of India’s individual medal winners, the Paris 2024 results, India’s Paralympic record, the Asian and Commonwealth Games record and practice questions.

The figures are given up to the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.

Modern Olympic Games: Basics

• The modern Olympics were started by Pierre de Coubertin of France, and the first Games were held in Athens in 1896.
• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded in 1894 and its headquarters are in Lausanne, Switzerland.
• The Games are held every four years (the Olympiad). The 2020 Games in Tokyo were held in 2021 because of Covid-19.
• The five rings represent the five continents; the motto is “Citius, Altius, Fortius – Communiter” (Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together).

Recent Hosts

India at the Olympics: Milestones

India’s Individual Medallists (Selected)

India’s Olympic Medal Tally

Paris 2024: India’s Medals

Manu Bhaker became the first Indian to win two medals in a single Olympics after independence.

Paralympics

Other Multi-Sport Games

Tricks to Remember

• Remember the golds: Bindra (2008, shooting) and Neeraj (2020, javelin).
• The two-medal woman: P. V. Sindhu (2016 silver, 2020 bronze).
• Hockey: six in a row from 1928 to 1956; then 1964 and 1980.
• Tokyo 2020 = 7 medals; Paris 2024 = 6 medals.

Quick Tips

• Learn the two individual gold medallists with their events.
• Remember the Tokyo and Paris tallies.
• Learn the Paralympic firsts: Petkar (1972) and Avani Lekhara.
• Note the next hosts: Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032.

Quick Revision Points

• Athens 1896 was the first modern Olympics.
• Abhinav Bindra won India’s first individual Olympic gold in 2008.
• Neeraj Chopra won gold at Tokyo 2020 and silver at Paris 2024.
• India’s total Olympic medals up to Paris 2024: 41.
• Murlikant Petkar won India’s first Paralympic gold in 1972.

Practice Questions With Answers

1. Who won India’s first individual Olympic gold medal?
   Answer: Abhinav Bindra (2008)
2. Who won gold in javelin at Tokyo 2020?
   Answer: Neeraj Chopra
3. Which woman won two individual Olympic medals for India?
   Answer: P. V. Sindhu
4. Where were the 2024 Olympic Games held?
   Answer: Paris
5. Who won a medal in two events at Paris 2024?
   Answer: Manu Bhaker
6. Who won India’s first Paralympic gold?
   Answer: Murlikant Petkar
7. Who won India’s first Olympic medal as an individual woman?
   Answer: Karnam Malleswari (2000)
8. Which city will host the 2028 Olympics?
   Answer: Los Angeles
9. How many medals did India win at Tokyo 2020?
   Answer: 7
10. How many medals did India win at the Paris 2024 Paralympics?
    Answer: 29

How to Practise This Chapter

Practise 10 questions every day and write the steps on paper. Then attempt timed sets from our practice papers and the previous year papers page. See all topics on the Current Affairs notes page, read the previous topic Defence Missiles and Equipment of India and the next topic International Treaties and Agreements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who started the modern Olympics?

Pierre de Coubertin of France.

Where were the first modern Olympics held?

In Athens, Greece, in 1896.

Who won India’s first individual Olympic gold?

Abhinav Bindra, in 2008 at Beijing.

Who won gold in javelin at Tokyo 2020?

Neeraj Chopra.

How many Olympic medals has India won in total?

41 up to Paris 2024: 10 gold, 10 silver and 21 bronze.

How many medals did India win at Paris 2024?

Six: one silver and five bronze.

Who is the first woman to win two Olympic medals for India?

P. V. Sindhu.

Who won India’s first Paralympic gold?

Murlikant Petkar in 1972.

Where is the IOC headquartered?

Lausanne, Switzerland.

Where will the 2032 Olympics be held?

Brisbane, Australia.

Is this topic asked in SSC?

Yes. Olympic questions are common in sports current affairs.

When did India win its first Olympic medal?

In 1900, when Norman Pritchard won two silver medals in athletics.