Asian Games
Asian Games – Complete GK Capsule for Railway Exams
1. Introduction
- Asian Games (also called Asiad) is a multi-sport quadrennial event held among athletes from all over Asia.
- Recognised by International Olympic Committee (IOC) and governed by Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) since 1982.
- Motto: “Ever Onward”
- Emblem: Bright sun with interlocking rings.
2. Quick-Fact Table
| # | Fact | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | First Asian Games | 1951, New Delhi, India |
| 2 | Founder | Guru Dutt Sondhi |
| 3 | 2022 Host (19th) | Hangzhou, China (held Sep-Oct 2023) |
| 4 | 2026 Host (20th) | Aichi-Nagoya, Japan |
| 5 | 2030 Host (21st) | Doha, Qatar |
| 6 | 2034 Host (22nd) | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| 7 | India’s rank (2022) | 4th (28 Gold, 119 total) |
| 8 | Top nation (all-time gold) | China |
| 9 | Sports added in 2022 | Esports, Break-dancing |
| 10 | Oldest competitor | Hiroshi Hoketsu (Japan, 2014, 73 yrs) |
3. Edition-wise Snapshot
| Edition | Year | Host City (Country) | Countries | Sports | Athletes | Top Gold Medallist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1951 | New Delhi (India) | 11 | 6 | 489 | Japan (24 G) |
| 2 | 1954 | Manila (Philippines) | 18 | 8 | 970 | Japan (38 G) |
| 9 | 1982 | New Delhi (India) | 33 | 21 | 3412 | China (61 G) |
| 16 | 2010 | Guangzhou (China) | 45 | 42 | 9704 | China (199 G) |
| 18 | 2018 | Jakarta-Palembang (Indonesia) | 45 | 40 | 11300 | China (132 G) |
| 19 | 2022* | Hangzhou (China) | 45 | 40 | 12400 | China (201 G) |
*Postponed to 2023 due to COVID-19.
4. India @ Asian Games
- First participation: 1951 (won 15 medals).
- Best edition: 2018 Jakarta – 70 medals (16 G, 23 S, 31 B).
- First individual gold: K. D. Jadhav (Wrestling, 1951).
- First woman gold: Kamaljeet Sandhu (400 m, 1970 Bangkok).
- Sports India never missed: Athletics & Hockey.
- Medal in eSports 2022: Street Fighter V – M. L. Lakshmi (bronze, first for India in eSports).
5. Important Dates to Remember
- 04 Mar 1949 → Asian Games Federation (AGF) formed in New Delhi.
- 04-11 Mar 1951 → 1st Asian Games opened by President Rajendra Prasad.
- 20 Nov 1954 → Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) created (replaced AGF in 1982).
- 19 Nov 2010 → Guangzhou opening ceremony; IOC President Jacques Rogge present.
- 23 Sep 2023 → Hangzhou Games declared open by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
6. One-liner Revision Bullets
- First mascot introduced: Appu (an elephant) – 1982 Delhi.
- Only country to host Asiad thrice: Thailand (1966, 1970, 1978).
- Only Indian city to host twice: New Delhi (1951 & 1982).
- Esports debuted as medal sport in 2022.
- ‘Unity in Diversity’ theme song – 2010 Guangzhou.
- Torch relay tradition started 1958 Tokyo.
- Asian Para Games follows the main Games by ~2 weeks since 2010.
- Neeraj Chopra (Javelin) – India’s only athletics gold in 2018.
- PV Sindhu – first Indian to win badminton singles gold (2018).
- China topped every medal table since 1982.
7. Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ)
Q1. Who was the first President of the Asian Games Federation?
Ans: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh
Q2. The first Asian Games were inaugurated in which stadium?
Ans: National Stadium, Delhi (originally Dhyan Chand Stadium)
Q3. Which city will host the 20th Asian Games in 2026?
Ans: Aichi-Nagoya (Japan)
Q4. India’s first gold medal in Asian Games history was won in which sport?
Ans: Athletics (Men’s 200 m – Lavy Pinto, 1951)
Q5. Which country has topped the medal tally the maximum number of times?
Ans: Japan (8 times till 1978)
Q6. What is the current motto of the Asian Games?
Ans: Ever Onward
Q7. The 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games mascot trio are collectively called?
Ans: Memories of Jiangnan
Q8. Which Indian woman shooter won 4 golds in 2022 Asian Games?
Ans: Sift Kaur Samra (50 m rifle 3-positions & team)
Q9. The Olympic Council of Asia headquarters is located in?
Ans: Kuwait City
Q10. Which sport made its debut as a medal event in 2022?
Ans: Break-dancing
Q11. Who was India’s flag-bearer at the opening ceremony of 2022 Asian Games?
Ans: Harmanpreet Singh (Men’s Hockey captain)
Q12. The 1982 Delhi Asian Games torch was lit by which Indian sportsperson?
Ans: Balbir Singh Sr.
Q13. Which country will host the 2034 Asian Games?
Ans: Saudi Arabia (Riyadh)
Q14. Total number of nations that participated in inaugural 1951 Asian Games?
Ans: 11
Q15. India’s highest gold tally in a single edition is?
Ans: 28 golds (2022)
8. Key Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Full Form |
|---|---|
| OCA | Olympic Council of Asia |
| AGF | Asian Games Federation (till 1981) |
| NOC | National Olympic Committee |
| IOC | International Olympic Committee |
| OCA HQ | Kuwait |
| IGB | International Games Broadcasting |
Last-minute tip: Remember “J-H-I-N-D” for next 4 hosts – Japan (2026), Hangzhou-done (2022), India (likely 2038 bid), Nagoya-Doha-Riyadh (2026-34).
BETA
