UPSC Prelims 2006 Q121: Current Affairs – Other Sports & Personalities
In which Olympics Games did India last win a Gold Medal?
- (a) Montreal (1976)
- (b) Moscow (1980)
- (c) Los Angeles (1984)
- (d) Atalanta (1996)
Answer: (b) Moscow (1980)
Explanation
India's last Olympic gold medal (as of 2006)
| Games | India's result |
|---|---|
| Montreal 1976 | No gold; hockey team took no gold |
| Moscow 1980 | Men's hockey team won gold, India's last Olympic gold up to 2006 |
| Los Angeles 1984 | No gold |
| Atlanta 1996 | No gold; one bronze medal in tennis |
The last Olympic gold medal won by India before the question was set came at the Moscow Olympics of 1980, in men's hockey.
Answer: (b) Moscow (1980).
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. India won no gold at Montreal 1976; its hockey team finished seventh.
- (b) CORRECT. India's hockey team won the last Olympic gold, up to 2006, at Moscow 1980.
- (c) Incorrect. India won no gold at Los Angeles 1984.
- (d) Incorrect. India won no gold at Atlanta 1996; only a tennis bronze.
Key point
India's last Olympic gold, up to 2006, was the men's hockey gold at Moscow in 1980.
Remember
India's last Olympic gold before 2008 was Moscow 1980 hockey.
Common mistakes
- Naming 1976, when hockey fell to seventh place.
- Confusing India's 1996 bronze with a gold.
- Forgetting the 1980 Games' boycott by several nations.
Exam tip
India's last hockey gold: Moscow 1980; individual gold only arrived with Beijing 2008 (shooting).
Sources
- International Olympic Committee — India: results and medals (olympics.com)
- Indian Olympic Association — India at the Olympic Games