Title: We Are The Champions: 40 Iconic Moments in Indian Sports
Authors: Akshay Lokapally and Vijay Lokapally
Publisher: Puffin India
Format: Paperback
Length: 296 pages
Age group: 14 yrs+
This book has been reviewed by my husband, Abhishek Dwivedi
We Are the Champions: 40 Iconic Moments in Indian Sports by Vijay and Akshay Lokapally is an exciting book about India’s greatest sports achievements. It tells the stories of 40 important moments, starting from 1948, when India won its first Olympic hockey gold as an independent country, all the way to recent successes in 2025.
This book is not just about scores and medals. It shows how sports helped India grow as a nation and build confidence on the world stage. It explains how India changed from just taking part in sports to becoming strong competitors in many different games.
One of the best things about the book is that it talks about both teams and individual players. It includes popular sports like cricket, but also gives importance to other sports and athletes who are not always in the spotlight. It also highlights the achievements of women and Paralympic athletes, making the story more complete and inspiring.
The book is divided into 40 short chapters, each focusing on a special moment. These include events from the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and more. The stories are written in a simple and interesting way, so readers can feel the excitement and importance of each victory.
It begins with the 1948 Olympic hockey win, which was very important for India after independence. It showed the world that India could succeed on its own. Another interesting moment is India’s football gold medal at the 1962 Asian Games, reminding us that India was once very strong in football too. The book also talks about the famous 1983 Cricket World Cup win led by Kapil Dev. This victory changed cricket in India and made it one of the most popular sports in the country.
There are also inspiring stories of individual athletes like Pankaj Advani, who succeeded in billiards and snooker. These stories show that hard work and focus can lead to success, even in less popular sports.
Women athletes play a big role in the book. Stars like Mithali Raj and Mary Kom are shown as role models who broke barriers and proved that women can achieve great success in sports.
The book also includes modern heroes like Neeraj Chopra, whose Olympic Gold Medal in Javelin gave India new hope in athletics. His story shows the importance of dreaming big and working hard.
Another strong part of the book is its focus on Paralympic athletes like Avani Lekhara and Sumit Antil. Their achievements show that determination and courage can overcome any challenge.
Overall, the book is fun, inspiring, and easy to read. It is more than just a history of sports—it teaches important lessons about teamwork, hard work, and never giving up. It encourages young readers to believe in themselves and chase their dreams.
Disclaimer: Rakshita and her family are a part of the #kbcReviewerSquad and received this book as a review copy from the publisher via kbc.
