At the London 2012 Olympic Games, how many gold medals did India win in total?

Introduction / Context:
The London 2012 Olympic Games were a major moment for Indian sports fans, with several memorable performances and podium finishes. However, India's medal tally is often tested in competitive exams, including the exact number of gold medals won. This question checks your factual recall about India's performance at London 2012, specifically whether the country managed to win any gold medals in that edition of the Summer Olympics.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The focus is only on the London 2012 Olympic Games.
• We are asked strictly about gold medals, not the total medal count.
• We assume the official Olympic medal table as the reference.
• India did win medals at London 2012, but the type and colour of these medals are what we must recall accurately.

Concept / Approach:
This is a straightforward general knowledge question. The key is to remember that India had a successful yet gold-less campaign in 2012. The country won a combination of silver and bronze medals (notably in shooting, badminton, boxing, and wrestling), but did not achieve a single gold medal. Many aspirants mistakenly assume at least one gold because of the overall tally of six medals, which makes this a good test of attention to detail rather than just rough memory.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall India's total medal tally at London 2012, which was 6 medals. Step 2: Break down the tally: 2 silver medals (for example, Vijay Kumar in shooting and Saina Nehwal originally bronze, plus other events) and 4 bronze medals. Step 3: Confirm that none of India's athletes stood on the top step of the podium with the national anthem played, meaning there were no gold medals. Step 4: Compare this understanding with the options: 8, 6, 4, and 0 gold medals. Step 5: Conclude that the only correct figure for gold medals is 0.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can cross-check this by remembering that India's first individual Olympic gold came with Abhinav Bindra in Beijing 2008, and later gold medals came in subsequent Games but not in London 2012. Official Olympic records and most exam-focused sports GK summaries clearly note that India secured 6 medals (2 silver and 4 bronze) with no golds at London. This confirms that the answer must be zero gold medals.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• 8: This would imply a very high level of dominance by India in 2012, which is historically inaccurate.
• 6: This number matches the total medal count, not the gold medal count, and therefore is misleading.
• 4: Again, four refers to the number of bronze medals, not gold medals, and mixing these up is a common error.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners confuse “total medals” with “gold medals” and may remember the figure 6 instead of 0. Another pitfall is assuming that each time India wins multiple medals, at least one of them is gold. In reality, Olympic success is challenging, and it is entirely possible for a country to enjoy its best tally so far without winning a gold. Careful reading of the question and separate recall of gold, silver and bronze counts helps avoid this mistake.

Final Answer:
India did not win any gold medals at the London 2012 Olympic Games, so the correct answer is 0.