Who won India’s first Olympic medals at the 1900 Paris Games by securing silver in 200m sprint and 200m hurdles?

Correct — B. Norman Pritchard, born in Calcutta in 1875, finished second in the 200 metres and the 200 metres hurdles at the Paris Games of 1900.

The IOC regards him as having competed for India and credits both silver medals to India. That is why he is counted as the winner of India's first Olympic medals → option (b).

Why the others are wrong

• (a)
  Milkha Singh — Milkha Singh never won an Olympic medal. His best was fourth in the 400 m final at Rome in 1960, in 45.73 seconds.
• (c)
  K.D. Jadhav — K.D. Jadhav won a wrestling bronze at Helsinki in 1952, the first individual Olympic medal of independent India. He had nothing to do with the 1900 sprint races.
• (d)
  Dhyan Chand — Dhyan Chand won his three Olympic golds in hockey, a team sport, in 1928, 1932 and 1936. None came in athletics or at Paris 1900.

India's Olympic firsts depend on what you count.

Pritchard is claimed by both India and Britain. Research suggests Britain picked him after the AAA Championships of July 1900, but most of the British press that year recorded his nation as India.

The first team gold was hockey at Amsterdam in 1928. The first individual medal of independent India was Jadhav's bronze in 1952.

Key facts

• Norman Pritchard won silver in the 200 m and the 200 m hurdles at the 1900 Paris Olympics.
• The IOC credits Pritchard's two 1900 medals to India, though Britain also claims him.
• K.D. Jadhav's wrestling bronze at Helsinki in 1952 was independent India's first individual Olympic medal.
• Pritchard later acted in Hollywood silent films as Norman Trevor.

Common traps

• Choosing K.D. Jadhav because he is remembered as India's first individual medallist. That record belongs to independent India, from 1952.
• Choosing Milkha Singh for a sprint question. He finished fourth at Rome in 1960 and won no Olympic medal.

No directly related past PYQ was found.