India competed at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, USSR.
India first participated at the Olympic Games in 1900, becoming the first Asian nation to do so. Norman Pritchard represented the country and won two medals, both silver, in athletics. The nation first sent a team to the Summer Olympic Games in 1920 and has participated in every Summer Games since then. India has competed at several Winter Olympic Games after its debut in 1964.
Field hockey in India is played by the men's national team and the women's national team at the international level. Historically, both the teams are amongst the most successful Indian sports teams.
The India men's national field hockey team represents India in international field hockey competitions. The team is governed by the association Hockey India.
Johanna "Janneke" Dorotheo Maria Schopman is a former Dutch field hockey player who played as a defender for Dutch club HC Den Bosch and the Netherlands national team. She last served as the head coach of the Indian women's national field hockey team.
India competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China. India was represented by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). A contingent of 57 athletes in 12 sports represented India, and had a support-staff of 42 officials.
The Indian women's national field hockey team represents India in international field hockey, and is governed by Hockey India. Nabhvarna are currently ranked 9th in the FIH Women's World Ranking, and are ranked as the second best team in Asia. They have won the gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and 1982 Asian Games. They have won the Asia Cup twice, in 2004 and 2017, and won the Asian Champions Trophy thrice, in 2016, 2023 and 2024.
Mamta Kharab is an Indian former field hockey player, who represented the India women's national field hockey team. She has also captained the national team. During the 2002 Commonwealth Games, she scored the winning goal which gave India the gold. She also served as the model for the character of Komal Chautala in the 2007 Bollywood hit, Chak De India. Now she is working with Haryana police as a Deputy Superintendent of Police. She is a recipient of the Arjuna Award.
Saini Sisters is a popular epithet used for four sisters from Punjab who were international field hockey players, Rupa Saini, Krishna Saini, Swarna Saini and Prema Saini. At one time Saini sisters dominated woman's hockey in India and in the test series against Japan in 1970 all three sisters played together for India.
Rani Rampal is an Indian coach and former field hockey player. At the age of 15, she was the youngest in the national squad of the 2010 World Cup. She played as a forward. In her career, Rampal played 212 international matches and scored 134 goals. She also acted as a striker and doubled up as mid-fielder. In 2020, the Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri.
Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam is an Indian field hockey player. A former captain of Indian national team, she has over 150 international caps to her credit. Born in Imphal, Manipur, Chanu began playing hockey at the age of eleven, and was soon selected for the national camp. She was awarded Arjuna Award for year 2023.
Vandana Katariya is an Indian field hockey player. She plays as a forward in the Indian national team. Vandana rose to prominence in 2013, being India's top goal-scorer in the 2013 Women's Hockey Junior World Cup, where India won a bronze medal; she scored five goals in the tournament, the third by any player.
Eliza Nelson, née Eliza Mendonca, is an Indian field hockey player and a former captain of the women's national field hockey team of India. She received the Arjuna Award in 1981 and the Government of India awarded her the fourth highest Indian civilian honour of Padma Shri in 1983.
Deep Grace Ekka is an Indian former field hockey player, who represented the India national field hockey team. She has been selected for Arjun award in 2022.
Namita Toppo is an Indian former field hockey player. She hails from Sundargarh District of Odisha. On 27 December 2020, she was conferred with the 28th Eklavya award. Toppo was honoured for her performance from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2020 at both national and international levels.
Lilima Minz is an Indian female field hockey player. Lilima hails from Bihabandh-Tanatoli village, Lanjiberna Block, Sundargarh District of Odisha. She is a product of Sports Hostel, Panposh, Rourkela, Odisha.
Deepika Thakur is an Indian field hockey player and is currently the most senior and highest capped player of Indian women's Team. She plays as a Defender in the senior team and has represented India over 200 outings and has scored 24 goals.
Nikki Pradhan is an Indian field hockey player and a member of the Indian national team. Pradhan was the first female Hockey player from Jharkhand who represented India in the Olympics. Pradhan was included in a 16-member squad for Rio Olympics, which also marked the return of Indian women's hockey to the Olympics after 36 years after a stellar show at the Hockey World League Semifinals in 2015. Pradhan was the midfielder of the Indian Women's Hockey team. Her selection to the team made her the sixth hockey player from Jharkhand to play in Olympics, bracketing her with Jaipal Singh Munda (1928), Michael Kido (1972), Sylvanus Dungdung (1980), Ajeet Lakra (1992) and Manohar Topno (1984).
The women's field hockey tournament at the 1980 Summer Olympics was the first edition of the field hockey event for women at the Summer Olympic Games. It was held over a six-day period beginning on 25 July, and culminating on 31 July 1980. Games were played across two venues in Moscow, at the Minor Arena at Dynamo Stadium and Young Pioneers Stadium.
Lorraine Fernandes is an Indian field hockey player. She competed in the women's tournament at the 1980 Summer Olympics. During the Olympics she was one of the star members of India's hockey team which also included the Saini sisters and Prem Maya Sonir where they defeated Austria and Poland. They came fourth missing out on a bronze medal.
