The quest for an Olympic medal can break even the best. Gagan Narang had been India's most successful shooter at the world stage post 2006 but his journey to the Olympics in 2004 and 2008 ended in heartbreak. Those defeats had affected the health of his parents as well but the versatile shooter was determined to stand on the Olympic podium. Narang opens up on the turmoil within and how those dark days drove him to Olympic glory at London.

WION Broadband Olympic Edition: How Personal Turmoil Drove Narang to Olympic Glory?

London 2012 was India's most successful Olympics with India's sports persons winning a record haul of 6 medals. Indian Shooting's rich legacy at the Olympics continued with Gagan Narang overcoming personal turmoil to end his wait for that treasured spot on the podium and Vijay Kumar winning Silver in Rapid Fire pistol. Joydeep Karmakar stunned the top names in Prone as he finished 4th and narrowly missed out on a medal.

WION Broadband Olympic Edition: Indian Shooting's Legacy Continues at London

The margin between victory and defeat at the Olympics can range from one-hundredth of a second to something even more measurable as 0.9 millimetres. An Olympic medal leads to sporting immortality but not many remember those who miss out. At the London Olympics, Joydeep Karmakar defied the odds and form books to finish 4th in the Men's Prone. Dismissed as nothing more than a tourist by many in the Indian sporting circles, Karmakar delivered his best at the biggest stage in world sport. 8 years later he admits he broke down seeing others on the podium but had no regrets having performed to the best of his abilities.

WION Broadband Olympic Edition: Karmakar's Narrow Miss at London

Indian Badminton achieved success at the Olympics in 2012 with Saina Nehwal winning a medal at London. That medal gave the sport a new fillip in India and also set a benchmark for other shuttlers. At the Rio Olympics PV Sindhu went one better as she reached the final before going down to Carolina Marin. In a candid conversation with Wion Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo, Sindhu traces her journey to that special moment in 2016 and how it changed her life.

Indian badminton player PV Sindhu on WION Broadband Olympic Edition

Indian Badminton achieved success at the Olympics in 2012 with Saina Nehwal winning a medal at London. That medal gave the sport a new fillip in India and also set a benchmark for other shuttlers. At the Rio Olympics PV Sindhu went one better as she reached the final before going down to Carolina Marin. Sindhu had won medals in big tournaments but was determined to change the colour.

WION Broadband Olympic Edition: Indian Badminton player PV Sindhu’s silver lining at Rio 2016

PV Sindhu burst onto the world stage by winning back to back medals at the 2013 and 2014 World Championships. But her journey to the Olympics was stalled by a stress fracture in 2015 which forced her to play without break to qualify for the Rio Games. Sindhu opens up on the detailed preparation that helped her grind down higher ranked players during the Olympics.

WION Broadband Olympic Edition: How PV Sindhu toughened up for Rio 2016

Wrestling had been one of India's most successful sports at the Olympics with 4 medals since Independence. Wrestling however was a male-dominated sport and female wrestlers were frowned upon in the state of Haryana. Sakshi Malik charted a journey against the odds at a very young age and at the Rio Olympics, she scripted an amazing comeback to win Bronze in the 58kg event. It ended India's wait for a medal at those Olympics and also shattered mindsets and opened the door for more parents to send their daughters to Wrestling arenas.

Wion Broadband Olympic Edition | Comeback Queen Sakshi Malik adds to India's Wrestling legacy at Rio

Gymnastics had always been on the margins of Indian sport and it was only Ashish Kumar's medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games that saw the sport being taken seriously. But within Indian Gymnastics it was all about the men and the female gymnasts were accorded step-motherly treatment. Dipa Karmakar harnessed that hurt and channeled it first to a Commonwealth Games medal in 2014 and then qualification for the Rio Olympics. Karmakar shocked the world by reaching the final of the Women's Vault and narrowly missed out on a medal. Karmakar looks back on her journey in this conversation with Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo and 2016 Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik

Wion Broadband Olympic Edition | The Small Wonder, Gymnast who stunned the world | Dipa Karmakar

Success at the Olympic Games isn't always about medals. Some performances act as a trigger and change mindsets. At the 2016 Rio Games Dipa Karmakar finished 4th in the Women's Vault and shocked the world. India had no history in Gymnastics to write home about but that did not deter the fiercely driven gymnast from Tripura. Sakshi Malik also broke barriers as she ended India's wait for that elusive medal in Rio. Wrestling was regarded as a male-bastion but Malik never allowed the criticism to come between her goal and inspired a new generation to come forward and take up female Wrestling.

Wion Broadband Olympic Edition | The Trailblazers from Rio 2016 | Sakshi, Dipa shatter stereotypes

Having chased an Olympic medal all his career, Bindra had to deal with an enormous void after achieving his goal. He even thought of quitting the sport altogether but discovered later that his life was incomplete without the sport of Shooting. Bindra looks back on those dark days and also reflects on the impact of his Gold on the Indian sporting ecosystem

WION Broadband Olympics Edition: How Bindra's Gold change Indian sport

Abhinav Bindra's historic Gold at the Beijing Olympics was won on the back of some extremely detailed preparation. Bindra went to extreme lengths to eliminate all possible variables in his quest for Olympic glory. From mapping his brain to hiring a marriage hall to simulate the arena in Beijing, Bindra left no stone unturned in his quest. He even hoodwinked the Chinese by importing special ammunition and delivered the greatest blow by beating China's reigning Olympic champion Zhu Qinan in the final.

WION Broadband Olympics Edition: Bindra's extreme preparations for Beijing

Success in World sport is often built on the back of failure. Abhinav Bindra finished 7th in 10m Air Rifle at the Athens Olympics despite what he calls one of his best shooting performances ever. The loss at Athens caused Bindra to doubt his abilities and he devoted the next 4 years to avenge that defeat at the Beijing Olympics.

WION Broadband Olympics Edition: How Bindra regained his self-doubt ahead of Beijing

Indian sport had tasted Olympic success not once but 8 times in the sport of Hockey. But the wait for an individual Gold would end 61 years after Independence. Abhinav Bindra exorcised the ghosts of Athens 2004 with the 10m Air Rifle Gold at Beijing in 2008 and opens on why it is so difficult to stand on the top spot of the Olympic podium

WION Broadband Olympics Edition: Bindra's Golden moment at Beijing

Indian sport achieved its biggest success at the Olympics when Abhinav Bindra ended decades of cynicism by shooting down the 10m air rifle gold in 2008. Bindra was India's first and only individual Olympic champion but that win in Beijing was built on the back of crushing defeat at the Athens games 4 years previously. Bindra opens up on his journey to the Olympic gold with sports editor Digvijay Singh Deo and details the attention to detail that saw him turn self-doubt into his biggest triumph on the world stage

Wion Broadband Olympic Edition: One in a billion Abhinav Bindra's golden moment in 2008

India achieved a record haul of 6 medals at the 2012 London Olympics. Leading the country's charge were 2 trailblazers who cemented their status as pioneers of women's sport. Saina Nehwal broke the Chinese monopoly in Women's Badminton by winning the Bronze medal at the games. While Boxing Legend Mary Kom too earned a bronze, which was a defining moment in an already glorious career. Chief coach of the India Badminton team, Pullela Gopichand and Olympic Gold Quest CEO Viren Rasquinha trace the remarkable journey's of these two Sporting Greats in a conversation with Wion Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo.

WION Broadband Olympic Edition: Nehwal & Mary Kom's Olympic high in 2012

WION -The World is One News, examines global issues with in-depth analysis. We provide much more than the news of the day. Our aim to empower people to explore their world. With our Global headquarters in New Delhi, we bring you news on the hour, by the hour. We deliver information that is not biased. We are journalists who are neutral to the core and non-partisan when it comes to the politics of the world. People are tired of biased reportage and we stand for a globalised united world. So for us the World is truly One.

WION Broadband Olympic Edition: How London 2012 sealed Mary Kom's greatness

Indian Badminton had a rich legacy thanks to the feats of Prakash Padukone and Pullela Gopichand but the cupboard was bare when it came to the women's events. The emergence of Saina Nehwal in 2006 boosted the popularity of the sport and her rise up the World rankings drew an entirely new generation to the sport. Nehwal would cBadap an amazing run as the pioneer of Indian Badminton by winning the Bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics and breaking the Chinese monopoly over the event. Gopichand and OGQ CEO Viren Rasquinha look back on Nehwal's journey to the Olympic medal.

WION Broadband Olympic Edition: Saina ends Chinese monopoly at London 2012

Indian Wrestling had won India its first individual Olympic medal in 1952 through KD Jadhav. Despite being part of India’s martial tradition, an Olympic medal remained elusive. Sushil Kumar revived the sport in Beijing with a Bronze medal in the Men’s Freestyle 66kg and that sparked off a new era in Indian Wrestling. 12 years later Kumar looks back at the performance that put him on the Olympic podium.

Wrestler Sushil Kumar shares his Olympic medal-winning moment | WION Broadband Olympic Edition

India has won 8 Olympic Gold medals in Hockey but the wait for an individual Olympic Gold ended 61 years after independence. Abhinav Bindra wrote himself into the history books at Beijing with the 10m Air Rifle Gold and he still remains India’s only individual Olympic champion. Fellow Olympic medalists Sushil Kumar and Vijender Singh credit Bindra for instilling a new belief in India’s Olympic sportspersons.

Sushil Kumar, Vijender Singh credit Abhinav Bindra | WION Broadband Olympic Edition

Indian sport broke through at the Beijing Olympics with Abhinav Bindra winning a Gold in shooting and Sushil Kumar and Vijender Singh winning Bronze medals in Wrestling and Boxing respectively. Sushil would go on and achieve a second Olympic medal 4 years later in London. Those 2 feats remain the benchmark and Indian sport and Vijender believes that both Bindra and Kumar deserve the Bharat Ratna.

Vijender Singh: Abhinav Bindra & Sushil Kumar deserve Bharat Ratna | WION Broadband Olympic Edition

India may have won just a solitary medal at Athens through Rajyavardhan Rathore's Double Trap Silver but the the 2004 Games are remembered as the turning point for the Indian sporting ecosystem. Medal contenders were not just limited to a single sport and there were many who were close including Anju Bobby George in Athletics. Athens also saw the Olympic bow of many sportspersons who would go on and achieve glory for India at subsequent editions of the Olympic Games.

WION Broadband Olympics Edition: Athens saw the Olympic bow of many sportpersons

Leander Paes ended India's 16-year wait for an Olympic medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and 8 years later was on the cusp of a second medal. Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi had dominated World Tennis as a doubles pairing and reached the No. 1 ranking in 1999. Both won multiple Grand Slams in the 8 years between Atlanta and Athens and entered the draw as one of the favourites for Gold. The Indian Express though would return without a medal in heartbreaking fashion with Bhupathi and Paes losing a titanic Bronze medal match to Croatia's Mario Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic.

Wion Broadband Olympic Edition: India at Athens Olympics, Glory and Heartbreaks

Indian Shooting's big breakthrough at the world stage was delivered by the Indian Army's Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. Rathore had put himself in contention for an Olympic medal with steady performances since winning 2 Gold medals at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Rathore's immense self-belief and unwavering focus saw him become independent India's first individual silver medalist at Athens. Rathore's Double Trap silver ushered in a new wave of optimism in Indian sport and led to a massive improvement in facilities and shattered the pessimism that surrounded India's Olympic sportspersons. 2004 Olympic finalist Suma Shirur and Tennis semi-finalist Mahesh Bhupathi recollect their memories of Rathore's triumph at Athens.

WION Broadband Olympics Edition: Rathore ushers in new era of self-belief

WION Broadband Olympics Edition: Croatians end Indian express' medal hopes

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