India first competed in the Olympics in 1900 , at the Paris Games. Norman Pritchard represented India in those Games, while India’s first official team of athletes was sent later, in 1920.

Quick Scoop

  • First Olympic appearance: 1900 Paris Olympics.
  • First official Indian contingent: 1920 Antwerp Olympics.
  • First independent India appearance: 1948 London Olympics.

Why this matters

The 1900 entry is usually counted as India’s first Olympic participation because it marks the country’s debut on the Olympic stage. Some historical sources note that the athlete’s representation can be interpreted differently, but India’s Olympic history pages and modern summaries still recognize 1900 as the first appearance.

Tiny timeline

  1. 1900: First participation.
  1. 1920: First official team.
  1. 1948: First Olympics as an independent nation.

TL;DR: India’s first Olympic participation was in 1900.