In India the athletics sport was first developed during the British Raj. The sport is overseen at the national and international levels by the Athletics Federation of India, founded in 1946. Despite the large number of people living in India however, at the highest level of the sport, only a handful of Indian athletes have ever won the gold medal at a world (or major) championship. The situation began to change during the 21st century as Indians began to show more interest in sports more broadly and better infrastructure for this sport started to be constructed at the local level. On a global scale it is among the most successful Asian nations, although it is a way from China in comparison to China and Japan.
On the national level there are three major competitions in athletics The most important of which are the annual Indian National Open Athletics Championships and the Indian Inter State Senior Athletics Championships (both first held in the year 1961) and four-yearly National Games of India (first held in 1924). The Indian National Championships event predated the Open and Inter State ones, being scheduled from 1924 until. The Indian Marathon Championships was first staged in 1938, while Indian Cross Country Championships was first held in 1938. Indian Cross Country Championships celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015. The Indian Racewalking Championships was established in 2014. Alongside the main senior championships, there are also championships for youth and athletes aged under 18 at the national and sub-national levels and also non-championship senior competitions as part of the Athletics Federation Cup and Indian Athletics Grand Prix tour.
In January 2021, the sports ministry has named Belarussian trainer Nikolai Snesarev as the middle and long-distance coach for the Indian athletics team.
* Rani Rampal: Rani Rampal is an Indian Hockey player, and is currently the captain of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team. She made her debut in senior hockey at just 14 years old.
* Sandeep Singh born on February 27, 1986. Sandeep Singh is a professional Indian hockey player, and an ex-captain of the Indian hockey team.
* Babita Kumari: Babita Kumari was born on 20th November 1989, in Haryana. Babita Kumari was an Indian wrestler, and a sister of Geeta Phogat, who earned the first gold medal for India on the female side of wrestling in the Commonwealth Games.
* Vijender Singh: Vijender Singh Beniwal is among the toughest and most solid boxers from India who was a representative of India at a variety of international boxing tournaments.
* Ajay Thakur: Ajay Thakur was born on the 1st of May 1986. He is an international professional Kabaddi athlete who hails from Nalagarh, Himachal Pradesh, India.
* Yogeshwar Dutt Born on November 2, 1982. Yogeshwar Dutt is among the top freestyle wrestlers in India who have displayed their talents in the sport at numerous national and international events.
* Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore Born on the 29th of January, 1970. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, the Indian former shooter who has and retired of his post in the Indian Army and is currently serving as a minister in the Cabinet.
* Poonam Yadav Born on August 24, 1991. Poonam Yadav plays the role of an Indian cricketer who is currently playing with the Indian women’s cricket team. Since her debut with India at the end of the 2013-14 cricket season Poonam is a formidable wicket-taker.
* Seema Punia Born on August 24, 1991. Poonam Yadav, an Indian cricketer who is currently playing with the Indian women’s team. Since her debut with India during the 2013-14 season, Poonam has been a formidable wicket-taker.
* Ashish Kumar was born on November 26, 1990. Ashish Kumar, the name of an Indian gymnast who hails from Allahabad, India. The first time India has won a gold medal in gymnastics.
* Ramesh Kumar: Ramesh Kumar was born on November 15th, 1981. The wrestler is an Indian wrestler, who is from Haryana.
* Surender Nada: Surender Nada is an Indian Kabaddi player who was born on the 1st of July 1987, in Haryana. He played for the U-Mumba squad within the Pro Kabaddi League for last three seasons.
* Varun Kumar was born on the 25th of July, 1995 within Punjab, Varun Kumar is an Indian professional field hockey player that plays the defensive position for the national team.
* Heena Sidhu: Pride of Punjab, Heena Sidhu, born on the 29th of August, 1989 is an experienced Indian shooter who specializes in the 10 m Air Pistol events. She is also a pretentious sportsperson.
* Geet Sethi: Geet Siriram Sethi, born 17 April, 1961 Delhi is an English professional Billiards player, who won numerous international billiards events. He holds 2 world records.
* Shreyasi Singh: Shreyasi Singh was born on the 29th of August 1991 is an Indian shooter who shoots double trap shoots.
* Gurjit Kaur born on the 25th of October, 1995 from Punjab; Gurjit Kaur is an Indian field hockey player that plays for the national team as a drag-flicker and defensive player.
* Debjit Majumder born on the 6th of March 1988. He was born in Kolkata, West Bengal, Debjit Majumder is an Indian footballer who plays for national teams, and assists them as goalkeeper to avoid getting injured.
* Dilip Tirkey: Dilip Tirkey was born on November 25, 1977. He is an ex- Indian football player, who played primarily at fullback. He is most well-known for his penalty corner kick.
* Sardara Singh born 15th July, 1986. Sardara Singh has been a pro Indian hockey player. He is an ex-captain of the Indian Men’s Hockey team . He typically plays in the middle half position.
* Nikhat Zareen was born on June 14, 1996, in the Nizamabad district in Telangana; Nikhat Zareen is an Indian amateur boxer who fights in the flyweight division.
