In India, Athletics is counted among the most popular forms of sports and is played extensively throughout the country. India has so far produced several eminent Athletes, who have excelled in the international arena. The Indian Athletes started playing in the international Athletic meets for the first time in 1948, when they took part in the London Olympic Games. The Indian team comprised 8 Athletes in the 1948 Olympics, out of which 6 were men and 2 women. It was also the first time that the Indian Women Athletes participated in the Olympic Games.

Since the 1948 Olympic Games, the Indian Athletes have shown considerable success in various international championships. Apart from the Olympics, they have excelled in the other prestigious championships like the Asian Games, World Championships, SAF Games etc. While showing great performances in the tournaments, the Indian Athletes have also won Gold, Silver and Bronze medals for India. Some of the most notable and prominent Indian Athletes in the history of Indian athletics include P. T. Usha, Anju Bobby George, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Jeev Milkha Singh, Abhinav Bindra etc.