Indian athletics has a rich heritage and an enviable track record in more than 75 years of its existence. The sport has contributed the bulk of the medal haul for the Indian contingent at the Asian Games since 1951. Out of a total of 534 medals won by India, athletics leads the contribution with 219 medals, including 70 gold medals, 73 silver and 76 bronze respectively.

Since the 1900 Olympics Games held in Paris where an Indian, Norman Pritchard notched up two silver in the 200m race and 200m hurdles events, Indian athletics has been constantly trying to raise the bar and produced hundreds of international medallists and path-breaking performances.

In the post-Independence era, India has produced a slew of international icons in track and field events, dominating the continent, and hitting the limelight in the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. The legendary Henry Rebello, ‘Flying Sikh’ Milka Singh, the ‘Jim Thorpe of India’ Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, Sriram Singh, PT Usha, World Athletics gold medallist Anju Bobby George, Commonwealth Games gold medallist Krishna Poonia, twice Asian Games gold medallists Ashwini Akunji, are some of the illustrious names.