Indian hockey team gifts signed jersey to PM meets on Independence Day
PTC Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi honoured the Indian athletes who participated in the Paris Olympics 2024 during a special ceremony at his residence in New Delhi on Independence Day. He commended their remarkable achievements, particularly highlighting the performances of the Indian men's hockey team, double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh, and Aman Sehrawat. In a gesture of appreciation, the Indian men's hockey team presented a signed jersey to PM Modi during their visit.
India's athletes secured a total of six medals at the Paris Olympics 2024, with standout performances by Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh, Swapnil Kusale, the Indian men's hockey team, and Neeraj Chopra. Addressing the nation, PM Modi said, "My dear countrymen, today we have the youngsters who raised our tricolor at the Paris Olympics. On behalf of 140 crore Indians, I congratulate all our athletes. We will continue to pursue new dreams and achieve them with relentless efforts. I also extend my best wishes to our para-athletes who will soon be flying to Paris for the Paralympics."
Several top athletes, including pistol shooter Manu Bhaker, who won two bronze medals in Paris, and members of the Indian hockey team, attended the Independence Day event. Among them was star goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who recently retired after the team's bronze-winning performance.
India's campaign at the Paris Olympics concluded with a total of six medals—five bronze and one silver—placing the nation 71st in the overall medal tally. This outcome fell short of the expectations set by the previous Tokyo Olympics, where Indian athletes achieved a historic tally of seven medals, including one gold, two silver, and four bronze.
Despite the lower medal count, India was on the verge of its best-ever performance at the Games, with several near-misses. The contingent recorded six fourth-place finishes, with many athletes narrowly missing the podium.
One such close call occurred in the 10m Men's Air Rifle final, where shooter Arjun Babuta finished just short of a medal with 208.4 points. The 25-year-old missed out on the bronze after a final shot of 9.5, narrowly missing the chance to end India's 12-year drought for a medal in rifle shooting at the Olympics.
- With inputs from agencies
