The 1950s and 60s are usually considered to be the "golden era" of Indian football. India defeated Iran in the final of the 1951 Asian Games and in 1962, they went on to win the trophy for a second time when they defeated South Korea 2-1 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Two years later, India went on to become the runners-up in the Asian Cup but in that edition of the tournament 11 of the 16 participating nations withdrew from the final competition.
Taking nothing away from the incredible performances of the Indian team managed by Syed Abdul Rahim, the draw against Qatar can be arguably regarded as India's greatest achievement in its history.