India is one of the top countries in field hockey. The team has won medals at the Olympics 12 times, including eight gold, one silver, and three bronze. Hockey was added to the Olympics in 1908, and India was so strong in the early years that they won gold in each of the first six tournaments.
Given its strong history in the sport, it’s no surprise that many of the best hockey players have come from India.
Here are the top 10 Indian hockey players who have won the most Olympic medals.
10. Harmanpreet Singh – 2 Medals
Harmanpreet Singh, born in 1996, is a skilled defender and current captain of the Indian team. Known for his penalty corner expertise, he won a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, his second bronze in three Olympic appearances.
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9. P.R. Sreejesh – 2 Medals
P.R. Sreejesh, a former goalkeeper and team captain, earned bronze medals at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics. He also won the FIH Best Male Goalkeeper award for 2020-21 and was part of gold-winning teams at the 2014 and 2022 Asian Games.
8. Prithipal Singh – 3 Medals
Prithipal Singh, known as the ‘King of Short Corners,’ won three Olympic medals: gold in 1964, silver in 1960, and bronze in 1968. He scored 11 of India’s 22 goals in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and was the first hockey player to receive an Arjuna Award in 1961.
7. Shankar Lakshman – 3 Medals
Shankar Lakshman, a goalkeeper and first international hockey captain, won three Olympic gold medals: in 1956 and 1964, and a silver in 1960. He was named man of the match in the 1964 final against Pakistan.
6. Ranganathan Francis – 3 Medals
Ranganathan Francis, a goalkeeper, won three consecutive gold medals in 1948, 1952, and 1956. He shared his record with Richard Allen as the only Indian goalkeepers to achieve this feat.
5. Randhir Singh Gentle – 3 Medals
Randhir Singh Gentle, a fullback, earned three gold medals from 1948 to 1956. He captained the team in the 1956 Olympics and scored six goals, including the winning goal in the final against Pakistan.
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4. Richard Allen – 3 Medals
Richard Allen, another goalkeeper, won gold medals in 1928, 1932, and 1936. He set an Olympic record by conceding only two goals over three tournaments, a record that still stands today.
3. Dhyan Chand – 3 Medals
Dhyan Chand, often called ‘The Wizard,’ is one of the greatest hockey players ever. He won gold medals in 1928, 1932, and 1936, scoring 33 goals in those tournaments, including a hat-trick in the 1936 final against Germany.
2. Udham Singh Kular – 4 Medals
Udham Singh Kular won three gold medals (1952, 1956, 1964) and a silver (1958). He missed the 1948 Olympics due to injury but later became a coach and led India to a bronze in the 1968 Mexico Olympics.
1. Leslie Claudius – 4 Medals
Leslie Claudius is the only Indian hockey player with four Olympic medals: three golds (1948, 1952, 1956) and a silver (1960). He captained the Indian team in the 1960 Olympics and was the first to earn 100 international caps for India.
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