SSC
How many countries took part in the first Asian Games, held in New Delhi in 1951?
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Answer: Option B — 11
Detailed Solution
The first Asian Games were held in New Delhi from 4 to 11 March 1951. Eleven countries took part, sending about 489 athletes, who competed in 6 sports.
Key facts about the 1951 Asian Games:
The idea of the Asian Games came from India's Guru Dutt Sondhi, a member of the International Olympic Committee, who wanted a sporting event that would promote friendship among Asian nations after their independence. The Asian Games Federation was formed in 1949.
The Games were opened by India's first President, Dr Rajendra Prasad, at the National Stadium (now the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium) in Delhi.
The six sports were athletics, aquatics (swimming and diving), basketball, cycling, football and weightlifting.
Japan topped the medal table, and India finished second, with 15 gold medals.
India won the football gold, beating Iran 1-0 in the final.
The participating countries included India, Japan, Iran, Singapore, the Philippines, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Indonesia, Burma (Myanmar), Afghanistan, Nepal and Thailand.
The Asian Games today:
- They are held every four years and are now run by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), headquartered in Kuwait City, which replaced the Asian Games Federation in 1982.
- India has hosted the Games twice, in 1951 and 1982 (both in New Delhi).
- The motto of the Asian Games is "Ever Onward".
- At the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou (held in 2023), India won 107 medals, its best-ever haul.
Why not the other options?
- ✗7, 19 and 25 are not the correct number of countries; the first Asian Games had 11 nations.
Quick tip
Remember: First Asian Games = New Delhi, March 1951, 11 nations, 6 sports, idea of Guru Dutt Sondhi; India hosted in 1951 and 1982; OCA headquarters = Kuwait.
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Sports — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Sports, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers sports GK: major tournaments and their venues, trophies and cups associated with each sport, sports terms, the number of players in a team, sports awards in India, Olympic and Asian Games facts, and famous sportspersons and their achievements. Common questions ask which sport a trophy belongs to (such as the Durand Cup for football or the Ranji Trophy for cricket), which term is used in which sport, and where a tournament was held. Records and results change after every season, so pair static facts such as team sizes and terms with recent results from current affairs. Practise the sports questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.