Sachin NAG* (IND) 2025 Honor Pioneer Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: 1948 OLYMPIC GAMES: participant – 100m freestyle & water polo; 1952 OLYMPIC GAMES: participant water polo – first goal for his country; 1951 Asian Games: gold (100m freestyle; first gold medal for India), bronze (4x100m freestyle relay, 3x100m medley relay)
Sachin Nag is an Indian legend in the record books but was never given his legitimate place to galvanize Indian popular culture in sport. Even after seven decades, his records are unparalleled, but he never got his due, until now.
His career blossomed in 1937, when he was invited to live and train in Calcutta, and within just one year, he was breaking all national records. He even began dreaming of competing in the Olympic Games. He competed in 6K and 10K races in the Hoolghly River and began playing water polo.
Nag competed in the 1948 Olympic Games, finishing a respectable sixth place in the 100-meter freestyle event. He also played for the Indian water polo team and scored four goals in a 7–4 win over Chile.
Nag’s real moment of glory, however, came three years later at the inaugural edition of the Asian Games in New Delhi. On March 8, 1951, Nag won the gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle and in the audience watching him win the first gold medal for India was Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. According to media reports, Nehru was so overjoyed that he broke protocol, embraced Nag and presented him with the red rose from the breast pocket of his coat.
Besides winning gold in the 100m freestyle, Nag also won bronze medals in the 4×100m freestyle relay and the 3×100m freestyle relay. In addition, he would go on to compete in the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games, representing India in water polo.
Following his incredible achievements in the pool, Nag would train future generations of Indian swimmers. Sachin Nag passed away on August 19, 1987. Looking at a photograph of the muscular, six-footer, one can only wonder what a swimmer he might have been had he had the coaching and opportunities afforded swimmers in the west or Japan at the time. Sachin Nag, the first Honoree inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame from India.
Join the family of Sachin Nag and the other 11 outstanding Honorees who will be inducted this year at ISHOF’s Diamond Anniversary in Singapore! Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony in Singapore in conjunction with the World Aquatics World Championships
WHEN: Monday, July 28, 2025, 1:00 PM
WHERE: Park Royal Collection, Marina Bay, Singapore
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ purchase them HERE!
Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony
ISHOF Class of 2025
Anthony Ervin (USA) Honor Swimmer
Ryan Lochte (USA) Honor Swimmer
Federica Pellegrini (ITA) Honor Swimmer
Joseph Schooling (SIN) Honor Swimmer
Ous Mellouli (TUN) Honor Open Water Swimmer
Chen Ruolin (CHN) Honor Diver
Endre “Bandi” Molnar (HUN) Honor Water Polo Player
Andrea Fuentes (ESP) Honor Artistic Swimmer
Gregg Troy (USA) Honor Coach
Captain Husain Al Musallam (KUW) Honor Contributor
Sachin Nag* (IND) Honor Pioneer Swimmer
Guo Jingjing (CHN) Honor Diver (Class of 2016)
*deceased
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce this truly international Class of 2025. This year, ISHOF will induct 12 honorees from nine countries. In addition, ISHOF will be inducting Honorees from four new countries that we have never had Honorees inducted from before, Kuwait, India, Tunisia, and Singapore.