Indian boxers are set to compete at the Asian Championships in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, aiming for medals and direct qualification for major multi-sport events later in the year.
The men's team comprises Grandmasters D Gukesh, Gujrathi, Erigaisi, P Harikrishna and R Praggnanandhaa.
Besides Toor, who is also two-time Asian Championships gold medallist, the team also has promising shot-putter Samardeep Singh Gill.
A record number of 634 sportspersons were on Friday cleared by the Sports Ministry to compete at the Hangzhou Asian Games, surpassing the 572 athletes in the last edition of continental showpiece in Jakarta in 2018.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reaffirmed India's commitment to hosting the 2036 Olympic Games and unveiled a comprehensive nationwide talent hunt programme aimed at identifying and nurturing sporting talent among children aged five to 15 years.
Indian weightlifter Gyaneshwari Yadav, an Asian Championships bronze winner, secured a silver medal in the women's 53kg category at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, lifting a total of 199kg.
Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain and two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen will lead the Indian contingent at the Asian Boxing Championships in Mongolia.
Indian shot putters Tajinderpal Singh Toor and Samardeep Singh Gill have successfully qualified for the final round of the Commonwealth Games. Toor breached the 20m automatic qualification mark with a throw of 20.14m, while Gill secured his spot with a best throw of 19.95m, finishing fifth overall.
World champion boxer Jaismine Lamboria, a two-time Commonwealth Games medalist, has been chosen as India's flag-bearer for the closing ceremony in Glasgow. India is also set to host the next edition of the Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad in 2030, with a cultural handover segment planned.
Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) President Devendra Jhajharia has urged Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to initiate a CBI probe into the murder of para-athlete Chirag Tyagi, whose death has deeply affected the para-sports community. Police have detained another para-athlete, Yash Khatik, in connection with the case, citing revenge as a possible motive, while the Sports Ministry maintains law and order is a state subject.
Rahi Sarnobat, on Wednesday, became the first Indian woman shooter to win an Asian Games gold medal as she triumphed after prevailing in a double shoot-off in the 25m pistol event in Palembang.
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However, Jyothi Yarraji failed to make the cut for the women's 200m final. The Indian had a timing of 23.78s.
Indian athletes delivered a strong performance at the Commonwealth Games, with weightlifter Harjinder Kaur and long-distance runner Gulveer Singh securing silver medals. Additionally, three Indian boxers, Priya Ghanghas, Preeti Pawar, and Jadumani Singh, advanced to the semifinals, guaranteeing at least bronze medals for the country.
Veteran sports administrator and India's first Asian Games shooting gold medallist Randhir Singh was cremated in Haridwar. Singh died at his New Delhi residence after battling age-related ailments. He was 79.
India's Women's Hockey team will compete against higher-ranked Germany in the fifth-place playoff at the Women's Hockey World Cup, aiming to conclude their impressive campaign with a victory and build momentum for the upcoming Asian Games.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has assured continued government support to trap shooter Neeru Dhanda and pistol ace Esha Singh, who recently achieved historic gold medals at ISSF World Cups. Mandaviya highlighted shooting as a priority sport for India, with significant investment in athlete development programs like TOPS and Khelo India, aiming for future Olympic and Commonwealth Games success.
Indian skeet shooters Bhavtegh Singh Gill and Mairaj Ahmad performed strongly on the opening day of the ISSF World Cup (Shotgun) in Lonato, Italy, finishing joint 14th. Parinaaz Dhaliwal also impressed in the women's section, placing tied-11th. The performances offer hope for India's first medal of the season and serve as crucial preparation for the upcoming Asian Games, despite other Olympians facing challenges.
The duo clinched their second gold medal in archery at the Asian Games.
Asian Games gold-medallist Swapna Barman will have customised shoes for her 12-toed feet soon as the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has tied up with footwear company Adidas to ensure specially-designed gear for the heptathlete.
Indian equestrian Anush Agarwalla secured second place at the CDI1 Prix St. Georges in Germany with a score of 70.147%. This impressive performance comes as he challenges his exclusion from the Indian dressage team for the 2026 Asian Games in the Delhi High Court, despite being India's highest-ranked dressage rider and a past Asian Games medallist.
Indian boxers Preeti Pawar, Priya Ghanghas, and Jadumani Singh have secured at least bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games by advancing to the semifinals of their respective weight categories. Preeti and Jadumani won their quarterfinal bouts by unanimous decision, while Priya Ghanghas overcame her opponent with a split decision. However, former Asian champion Parveen Hooda was eliminated in her quarterfinal match.
Vantika Agrawal, 21, is aiming to become a Grandmaster, which could happen as early as next year.
Indian boxers Preeti Pawar and Priya Ghanghas have secured at least two bronze medals for the nation at the Commonwealth Games by advancing to the semifinals of their respective weight categories. Preeti dominated her 54kg quarterfinal with a unanimous decision, while Priya overcame a tough challenge in the 60kg division with a split decision win. However, Parveen Hooda was eliminated in her 65kg quarterfinal bout.
Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar secured his second consecutive Commonwealth Games silver medal in Glasgow with a leap of 8.09 metres. This achievement marks an emotional comeback for the athlete, who battled a career-threatening knee injury in 2024, forcing him to miss the Paris Olympics. Despite his disappointment at not winning gold, Sreeshankar views this medal as a crucial stepping stone for the upcoming Asian Games.
Athletics Federation of India's selection committee chairman Adille Sumariwalla has dismissed concerns over Neeraj Chopra's recent silver medal, stating that the "country's greatest athlete" should not be scrutinised for an occasional silver after consistently delivering gold for a decade.
Mirabai Chanu will miss the Asian Championships due to a shoulder injury sustained during the National Championships. Komal Kohar is expected to replace her in the Indian team.
Pakistan's first female Commonwealth Games boxing medallist, Fatima Zahra, credits Indian boxing legend MC Mary Kom as her primary inspiration, having watched the Bollywood biopic on Kom's life and emulating her journey of overcoming adversity.
Saina Nehwal's chances of defending her title at the Commonwealth Games looks bleak as she has decided to skip the selection trials for the upcoming multi-sport events.
The Sports Ministry is set to commence the nomination process for the National Sports Awards next month, following a delayed announcement of the 2025 awards. The delay was due to a re-evaluation process aimed at preserving the integrity of the honours, which resulted in no Khel Ratna awardee for 2025 and fewer Arjuna awardees than recommended. The article also details the criteria for these prestigious awards and highlights some of the notable Arjuna awardees for 2025.
India's boxing contingent delivered a knockout day at the Commonwealth Games, with ten pugilists storming into the finals and keeping the gold rush alive.
Indian boxers Preeti Pawar (54kg) and Priya Ghanghas (60kg) have secured at least two bronze medals for the nation at the Commonwealth Games by advancing to the semifinals of their respective categories. Preeti dominated her quarterfinal bout with a unanimous 5-0 decision, while Priya overcame a tough challenge from local favourite Niamh Mitchell with a 4-1 split decision.
India's boxing contingent had a stellar day at the Commonwealth Games, securing five more semifinal berths and bringing the total to nine. This achievement surpasses India's previous medal tally in boxing from Birmingham 2022, guaranteeing at least nine medals for the nation.
Indian weightlifters are set to compete in the Asian Championships, aiming to leverage home advantage and gain momentum for the upcoming Commonwealth and Asian Games.
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Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya felicitated para-powerlifter Jhandu Kumar with a Rs 10 lakh cash prize for his bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
India's other gold medals came in 1966 and 1998, both times in Bangkok.
Indian boxer Preeti Pawar advances to the final of the Asian Boxing Championships, while Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain are eliminated in the semi-finals.
Indian shooters endured a second consecutive medal-less day at the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou, a crucial tune-up event before the Asian Games. While Vidarsa Vinod reached the women's 50m rifle three positions final, finishing sixth, other Indian participants struggled in various events, including men's and women's skeet, and men's 25m rapid fire pistol. The performance raises concerns ahead of the upcoming major competition.
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Manika Batra progressed to the women's singles quarter-finals but veterans Sharath Kamal and Gnanasekaran Sathiyan crashed out.
