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"Under the Olympic flag, 800 Indian athletes paraded Bangalore's famous stadium for the opening of the 12th All India Olympic Games" says the announcer on this British Pathé video. Not much else remains of this pan-Indian sporting event, which is quite possibly the predecessor to India's biennial National games. Its origins and fate are buried under reams of history of India at the world Olympics.

Held in Bangalore in 1946, the Games had the Maharaja of Mysore and Lord Wavell – then the Viceroy of India – as chief guests, viewing athletes from every Indian state.

Seen above are EL Philip "the coloured boy" who wons the 220 yard race, Raj Gopal of Mysore with "some muscle to spare", and, astonishingly, the 67-year-old Marathon ace Abhu Naga who is seen gleefully smoking away after completing the run.

The Patiala team won the Olympics trophy, with Banta Singh's victory in the pole vault jump settling the issue for them.