In its 77 years as an independent nation, India has enjoyed numerous moments of unbridled joy across sporting arenas, be it Olympic gold medals or Cricket World Cup conquests. But when it comes to the most memorable sporting achievement on I-Day (August 15) itself, the crown is reserved for a victory that transpired well before India's independence. (More Sports News)
It was in Berlin, in 1936 when Dhyan Chand's invincible men annexed the Olympics hockey gold for a third successive time. The hat-trick was completed on the fateful date of August 15, and underlined India's utter dominance in the sport at the time.
In an incredible run-up to the final, the Indian men's hockey team did not concede a single goal and conjured imperious scorelines of 4-0 (against Hungary), 7-0 (against United States), 9-0 (vs Japan) and 10-0 (vs France in the semi-finals).
The final saw India letting the first goal of the tournament slip through against them. But they fired eight back, thrashing the hosts black and blue in an evergreen performance, made more special with time as it came on August 15.
India went on to stretch its streak to five consecutive men's hockey gold medals at the Olympics, and later added three more to the kitty. The golden era of Indian hockey is now behind us, but the current crop is targeting a resurgence in its own way, with teams garnering back-to-back bronze medals in Tokyo and Paris.
Whether or not Indian hockey will experience such highs again is not known, but the sweet taste of an Olympic gold hat-trick on I-Day will linger forever.
