Pritchard or Jadhav: Who Won India’s First Olympic Medal?

Pritchard won 2 silver medal in 1900 but IAAF lists him as British while IOC considers him Indian.

Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav (L) and Norman Pritchard (R). (Photo: Wikipidea, altered by The Quint)

Norman Gilbert Pritchard was born in Kolkata, India to British parents on 23 June 1877. He was the first Indian-born athlete to compete in the Olympics. Pritchard participated in Paris Olympics in 1900 and bagged two silver medals in 200 m race and 200 m hurdle race.

Meanwhile, Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav was born on 15 January 1926 in India. He was the first Indian to bag a medal at an individual sporting event at the olympics. Jadhav brought home a bronze medal from Helsinki in 1952.

Chronologically speaking, Pritchard did win the medal before Jadhav. However, while International Olympic Committee (IOC) lists Pritchard as Indian, the International Association of Athletics Federations listed him as British.

So who won India’s first individual medal at the Olympics?