Smash hit

Prakash Padukone lifts the All England badminton trophy. A brilliant sporting icon, who inspired a generation of shuttlers. 1980

Sena's spadework

In a fit of rage and an act of vandalism, Shiv Sainik Sishir Shinde digs up the cricket pitch at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, protesting against the restoration of cricketing ties with Pakistan. 1991

Top of the world

India win the Prudential Cricket World Cup. Kapil's Devils bowl the world over. The squad is maverick but the team spirit is soaring. 1983

Solar power

Sunil "Sunny" Gavaskar makes 10,000 Test runs and becomes the first batsman to cross the five-figure mark. 1986

Leethal

Leander Paes wins a tennis bronze at the Atlanta Olympics, the first Indian medal in 32 years. From wild card to podium is the stuff Olympic dreams are made of. But then Lee's in a different league. 1996

Kumble's 10/10

Pakistan are bamboozled as Anil Kumble, the Smiling Assassin from Bangalore, claims 10 wickets for 74 runs in Delhi. Jumbo's giant achievement. 1999

As bad as it gets

The Indian hockey team finishes eighth at the Atlanta Olympics, its worst finish yet. 1996

Safari gone awry

The much-higher-ranked Indian cricket team loses to minnows Kenya by 69 runs in a tri-series match. It does so again in another tri-series three years later. 1998

Slamdunk dudes

Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi win three Grand Slams and finish with the top ATP ranking. Their best year together. 1999

Sack the heroes

Even before the euphoria of winning the gold in hockey at the 1998 Asian Games dies down, the IHF sacks six senior members of the team. It serves marching orders on Dhanraj Pillai (captain), Mukesh Kumar, Sabu Varkey, Sandeep Somesh, Ashish Ballal and A.B. Subbaiah. 1999

Making the right moves

Viswanathan Anand is crowned the world champion after he beats Alexei Shirov in the finals in Teheran. 2000

Fixed agenda

The CBI names Mohammed Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja, Ajay Sharma and Manoj Prabhakar as the cricketers involved in match-fixing, in league with bookies in Delhi and Mumbai. 2000

Those who got away

The CBI, however, does not find any evidence against former Indian cricket captain and coach Kapil Dev. Similarly, allegations of match-fixing against Nikhil Chopra and Nayan Mongia don't hold for lack of proof. 2000

Kapil does a Rudali

A giant of the gentleman's game and the only captain to win India the World Cup, Kapil breaks down on TV while discussing the match-fixing charges against him.

Index