29th August is celebrated in India as the National Sports Day in remembrance of one of the greatest hockey player the world has ever seen, Major Dhyanchand. Known for his magical style of play on the field, Dhyanchand was born on 29th August 1905 in Allahabad. Amongst his many feats in hockey, the gold medal he helped India win in the Olympics is considered his greatest achievement. This day is also a celebration of athletes who represent Indian in various other sports with awards like Khel Ratna, Dronacharya given today. On the National Sports Day, we look at some of the biggest achievement of India in sports over the last decade. National Sports Day 2019: Shikhar Dhawan, Vijender Singh, VVS Laxman & Other Indian Sports Stars Pay Tribute to Hockey Legend Major Dhyan Chand.

2011 Cricket World Cup Win

Led by MS Dhoni and with Sachin Tendulkar playing his last World Cup in Indian colours, the Men in Blue lifted the championship title with a thrilling win over Sri Lanka in Mumbai. The 2011 edition was held in Asia where the Indian team played some swashbuckling cricket right from the onset. Their only loss of the campaign came against South Africa while they defeated archrivals Pakistan in the semi-finals. The level of cricketing brilliance on display led some to comment it was the most excellent tournaments in India’s cricketing history. ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Final: Remembering the Historic Day When India Became World Champions 8 Years Ago, Watch Video.

Sushil Kumar Wins His Second Olympic Medal at the 2012 London Olympics

A country where it is difficult winning a single individual Olympic medal, wrestler Sushil Kumar won his second at the 2012 London Olympics. The silver he won in Britain came on the back of the bronze in Beijing, 2008. This marked the only time an Indian Olympian has won two medals on the biggest sporting platform.

Viswanathan Anand Wins His Fifth World Championship in 2012

Back in 2012, chess maestro Viswanathan Anand defeated Israeli challenger Boris Gelfand in a rapid chess tiebreaker to claim his fifth World Championship. It was an incredible achievement for a man that has been India’s flag bearer in Chess all over the world. He is considered one of the greats of the game having so many feats.

India Hosts 2017 U-17 World Cup

India considered a sleeping giant in the world of football finally showed its might as it hosted 2017 Under 17 World Cup. The 24 team tournament was a massive hit in India with attendance to the tune of 1,347,133 which was a record. With six cities hosting the game, India showed its might at the world stage. As hosts for the tournament, it was the first time India participated in a World Cup at any age level.

India Wins First-Ever Test Series in Australia

India had been touring Australia since 1947 but never won a Test series Down Under. But that changed in 2019 under the leadership of Virat Kohli as he and his men defeated Oz 1-2. Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah were the standout performers on tour for the visitors. With the team only needing to draw the last game in Sydney, India did so in style to taste success on the Australian soil for the very first time.

PV Sindhu Becomes First Indian to Win BWF World Championship

2019 will always be remembered for the heroics of PV Sindhu who became the first Indian to win the BWF World Championship. The ace shuttler defeated Nozomi Okhura 21-7, 21-7 in a one-sided contest to script the greatest win of her career. Becoming a world champion adds to the Olympic medal she already has to her name.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 29, 2019 11:28 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).