Bhubaneswar: What a year, 2024 was! It was a quite eventful year with big achievements, failures, key appointments, nuptial ties and retirement of eminent sportspersons and persons associated with sports. 

Achievements of the Indian athletes in Paris Olympics, lifting of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup title by the Indian Cricket team brought cheers among the Indians and people supporting India elsewhere across the world. The biggest head turner in the field of sports in 2024 was D. Gukesh from Chennai, the new World Chess Champion. 

The year will be also in memory as the disqualification of wrestler Vinesh Phogat in Paris Olympics despite her excellent performance in the final dashed the hope of billions who wanted to see an India woman wrestler to win Gold at the Olympics.

The appointment of Jay Shah as Independent Chair of ICC, retirement of cricketeers R. Ashwin and Shikhar Dhawan, and hockey player Deep Grace Ekka and 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s signing in during IPL auction were the other highlights of the year of 2024.

Key Happenings: 

18-year-old D. Gukesh made history by becoming the youngest-ever World Chess Champion by beating Ding Liren of China. Gukesh, who hails from Chennai is the second Indian to win the World Chess Champion. For the first time, India’s Viswanathan Anand won the title over a decade earlier. 

History was made during IPL 2025 Auction as Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the youngest player to be signed in the league's history Jeddah. Rajasthan Royals secured the services of Suryavanshi, who hails from Samastipur in Bihar, for a price of ₹1.10 crore.

The Indian Men's Hockey Team won bronze at the Paris Olympics by defeating Spain 2-1. India added a second successive bronze medal to the one they won in the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021.

Manu Bhaker made history twice in the Paris Olympics by becoming the first Indian woman shooter to win two medals in the same edition of Games. Bhaker won Bronze in the Women's 10m Air Pistol and 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team events.

Abhinav Bindra was conferred with the Olympic Order for his outstanding services to the Olympic movement. The Olympic Order is the highest award given by the International Olympic Committee for meritorious services. 

During IPL 2024 Auction, former Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant was sold to Lucknow Super Giants for a whopping ₹27 crore. The price was the highest ever bid in the history of the tournament.

18-year-old, Chirag Chikkara bagged a Gold medal in the Men’s Freestyle 57kg category at the U23 World Wrestling Championships in Tirana, Albania. It was India’s only gold at the event.

Maharashtra tennis player Arjun Kadhe and Rithvik Bollipalli of Telangana won the Men’s Doubles title at the Almaty Open 2024 ATP 250 tennis tournament at Almaty in Kazakhstan.

India's Jay Shah was elected unopposed as the next Independent Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Shah took charge from Greg Barclay in December.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) inaugurated the new National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. The world-class facility will now be called the BCCI Centre of Excellence.

Indian wrestler Sangram Singh made his mark in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) world by winning his debut fight at the Gama International Fighting Championship.

Mixed martial arts athlete, Puja Tomar, made her UFC debut as India's first female fighter. Tomar, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, scored a victory to make history by becoming the first Indian fighter to register a win inside the UFC octagon.

India trounced China to retain the title in the Men's Asian Hockey Champions Trophy at the Moqi Training Base, Hulunbuir in China.

Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket. Ashwin revealed his decision at the end of the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Brisbane.

Achievements of Odias

Debaraj Behera, Pankaj Bhue and Sukhram Majhi from Odisha were chosen in the final 17-member squad for the 4th T20 World Cup for the Blind. The World Cup was scheduled to be held in Lahore and Multan, Pakistan from November 22 to December 3, 2024.

Odisha’s Aahan won the singles titles in the Girls' Under-16 and Under-14 categories at the 29th Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship held at the DLTA Complex in New Delhi.

Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo from Odisha was elected as the President of the National Rifle Association of India. Singh Deo secured a 36-21 victory over VK Dhall in the polls held at the Constitution Club of India in Delhi.

The Hockey Association of Odisha lifted the 14th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship trophy. The Odisha’s Men Hockey team defeated Hockey Haryana 5-1 in the final of the championship at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai.

The much-awaited Hero Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-25 – Hockey Ka Jashan will begin with an extravagant opening ceremony at the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela. The opening match is scheduled to take place on December 28.

Conclusion

There were many points to be noted in this article. But due to word limitations and not to create monotony, the ‘Key Happenings’ section has been limited to this much of events.

Wish the Indian sportspersons and athletes will set new benchmarks in the New Year 2025 and make the country proud. Best of Luck!