Sachin Nag became India’s first-ever Asian Games gold medallist when he won the medal in 100m Freestyle event at the 1951 Asian Games.
The Selection Committee and the Board of Directors of the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF), have announced the induction of Sachin Nag into the Hall of Fame.
In an official letter to Ashok Nag, Sachin Nag’s son, they declared, “It is our privilege to inform you that your father has been selected for induction into the Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 2025 as an Honor Pioneer.”
Sachin Nag, who started swimming at a very young age, dashed into the national aquatics with his record-breaking performance in the 1939 National Games. He equalled the national record of 1 minute 4 seconds in the 100m Freestyle held by Dilip Mitra who later represented India in the 1948 Olympics. In the same competition, he broke the 200m Freestyle record (2 minute 29seconds), held by another Olympian Durga Das.
Nag represented India in the 1948 Olympic Games. In the 100m Freestyle event he finished 6th in the first round with a timing of 1minute 3.8 seconds. He was also a part of the Indian Water Polo squad. According to Ashok Nag, his father scored four goals in India’s 7-4 win against Chile.
But the golden moment came in 1951 when India hosted the inaugural Asian Games at Delhi. On the third day of the competition, in the presence of Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Sachin Nag created history by clinching India’s first-ever Asian Games gold medal. Basking in the glory of his 100m Freestyle win, Nag also won bronze medal as a part of 4x100m Freestyle Relay team.
Despite his remarkable contributions to the sport, Sachin Nag did not receive adequate recognition from the government during his lifetime. It was after several appeals by his son for a national recognition, Sachin Nag was posthumously honoured with the Dhyan Chand Award for his Lifetime Dedication to sports in 2020.
With his induction to the International Swimming Hall of Fame, Nag will be joining the list of some the greatest aquatic heroes in Olympic history, including swimmers Johnny Weissmuller and Michael Phelps, diver Guo Jing Jing and water polo player, Tamas Farago.
As per the letter, this year’s ceremony will be hosted in Singapore during the World Aquatics World Championships. His induction will be held on Monday, July 28, 2025, at the Park Royal Collection Marina Bay, Singapore.
