India finished fourth with 85 medals at Aichi-Nagoya, down from 106 in Hangzhou, highlighting the challenge of sustaining progress on the road to 2036.
The Indian women's wrestling contingent achieved significant success at the U-20 World Wrestling Championship in Bratislava, securing three medals. Mansi Lather earned a silver medal in the 68kg category, while Tanvi Magdum (57kg) and Komal (59kg) each contributed with bronze medals, showcasing India's growing prowess in junior wrestling.
Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia has voiced his support for Vinesh Phogat after her unsuccessful return to competitive wrestling at the Asian Games selection trials, urging her to persevere despite the setback.
The Delhi High Court has sought WFI's response on Vinesh Phogat's plea to participate in the September 14 selection trials for the 2026 World Championship.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has issued a show-cause notice to Vinesh Phogat, citing indiscipline and anti-doping rule violations, rendering her ineligible for domestic competitions until June 2026.
If India's medal tally ultimately falls significantly short of Hangzhou, the conversation should not stop with the athletes or coaches. It should extend to a much more uncomfortable institutional question: After years of increased investment, programmes, infrastructure and policy attention, where exactly is the system failing to convert that investment into medals, champions and depth across sports? asks Jaydeep Ray.
The Asian Games, a major multi-sport event, has a long history of controversies extending beyond the sporting arena. From diplomatic disputes and selection rows to doping scandals and disputed decisions, these incidents have often highlighted the intersection of politics, national interests, and sports.
Indian kurash athlete Pincky Balhara secured a bronze medal at the Asian Games despite suffering a knee injury during her quarterfinal bout. She revealed that the injury hampered her performance in the semifinal, preventing a higher finish. Balhara, a two-time Asian Games medallist, also highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by Indian kurash athletes due to the lack of a recognised national federation and reliance on private support.
India's Asian Games campaign looked bleak in Nagoya. A slow medal start saw the country slip to around 12th, before a late surge took India back to fourth with 85 medals.
Hansika Lamba won a silver medal in the women's 55kg category at the Polyak Imre, Varga Janos & Kozma Istvan Memorial Senior Ranking Tournament in Budapest. Her performance, along with two bronze medals from Vishal Kaliraman and Rajat Ruhal, increased India's total medal count to five, following earlier wins by Aman Sehrawat and Deepak.
Indian kurash athlete Pincky Balhara secured a bronze medal at the Asian Games, becoming the most successful Indian in the sport at the event. Her achievement came despite suffering a knee injury during the quarterfinal, which was further targeted by her semifinal opponent. Balhara, who trains with boys at her uncle's academy due to the lack of a national federation, expressed disappointment over the injury preventing a higher finish.
India is set to field a strong contingent at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, with key athletes like PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, and Lovlina Borgohain leading the charge to defend titles in cricket, kabaddi, and men's hockey.
The Olympic Council of Asia has advised national bodies, including India, to limit their contingent sizes for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, due to the host nation's inability to accommodate more than 15,000 participants. This impacts support staff numbers, with India's contingent of 492 athletes requiring strict adherence to the 33% support staff cap. Organisers are implementing innovative accommodation solutions like container huts and a cruise ship.
The Delhi High Court has refused to grant wrestler Vinesh Phogat an interim exemption to participate in the women's selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Championships. The court stated that eligibility criteria apply uniformly to all athletes and granting an interim relief to Phogat, who recently returned from maternity leave, would lead to unequal treatment without a full adjudication of the policy's validity. Phogat had sought to challenge the Wrestling Federation of India's (WFI) circular on eligibility, arguing it unfairly excludes athletes returning from maternity.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya led a cycling rally in Glasgow, engaging the Indian community to promote healthy living and encourage support for the 'Cheer for Bharat' initiative at the Commonwealth Games. He urged participation in the Fit India Movement and highlighted cycling's benefits for health and environment, as India prepared to compete in a scaled-down CWG focusing on boxing, weightlifting, and athletics.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended his best wishes to the Indian contingent participating in the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, expressing confidence in their passion, determination, and spirit of excellence. He noted that the Games feature 215 events across 10 sports.
Amit Sheoran, a 31-year-old former national-level wrestler wanted in an alleged major opium smuggling case, has been arrested after being on the run since 2023, police said.
Young Indian shooters Himanshu Dhillon and Rudrankksh Patil secured individual silver and bronze medals respectively in the men's 10m air rifle event at the Asian Games. They also combined with Parth Mane to win a team silver, contributing significantly to India's medal tally in shooting.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has issued a show-cause notice to Vinesh Phogat, citing indiscipline and anti-doping rule violations, rendering her ineligible for domestic competitions until June 26, 2026.
Indian Greco Roman wrestlers secured a silver and two bronze medals at the 2026 Senior Asian Wrestling Championships in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, bringing India's total to five medals. Nitesh won silver in the 97kg category, while Sachin Sahrawat and Prince claimed bronze in the 67kg and 82kg categories respectively.
Ambitious India out to match Hangzhou benchmark in Nagoya.
Indian MMA fighter Sangram Singh secured the STRIKE Asia Championship title by defeating Pakistan's Mohammed Abid Ali with a stunning knockout in just 80 seconds. This victory extends Singh's unbeaten professional record and highlights his successful transition from wrestling to mixed martial arts, further solidifying his status as a top Indian combat sports athlete.
India's wrestling team, featuring a mix of experienced and emerging talent, is set to compete in the Asian Wrestling Championships in Bishkek, with high hopes for medal contention.
Lalit secured a silver medal in the 55kg Greco Roman category. Sunil Kumar added a bronze, while Nitesh advanced to the final of the 97kg competition at the Asian Wrestling Championships, marking a successful day for India.
India's women wrestlers achieved a perfect podium finish at the U17 Asian Wrestling Championships 2026 in Da Nang, Vietnam, winning 10 medals, including 2 gold, 3 silver, and 5 bronze.
Law And Order not only delivers an outdated and amateurish gangster drama, but also manages to drag Mammootty's iconic Black character into the mess.
Lalit advances to the gold medal match at the Asian Wrestling Championships, while Aman and Sunil Kumar will compete for bronze medals.
Indian MMA fighter Sangram Singh is set to face Pakistan's Mohammed Abid Ali for the prestigious STRIKE Asia Champion Title in Kuala Lumpur. This highly anticipated fight marks a significant step in Singh's transition from professional wrestling to MMA, where he holds an unbeaten 3-0 record.
UWW had later said WFI may need to safeguard women wrestlers to get its suspension lifted.
The Sports Ministry has approved a 191-member Indian contingent for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, comprising 126 athletes and 51 officials. The Ministry has stipulated that expenses for Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Executive Committee members will not be covered by the government. Additionally, National Sports Federations are required to conduct background checks on their contingents, and a performance report must be submitted post-Games.
India's Sujeet and Abhimanyou secured gold medals in their respective freestyle categories at the Senior Asian Wrestling Championships, while Sandeep Mann won silver and Ankush took bronze.
India finished fourth at the 2026 Commonwealth Games with 39 medals, overcoming the absence of traditional medal-winning sports. The contingent's success was driven by a record-breaking boxing campaign, a historic performance in judo, and strong contributions from para athletes, showcasing the country's expanding sporting depth.
A Delhi court on Monday acquitted former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and co-accused Vinod Tomar in a sexual harassment case filed by women wrestlers.
'Once you're wrestling with making a merger of that scale value-accretive, you're also under pressure to keep growing the balance sheet and chasing liabilities, and other things start to slip as a consequence.'
The OCA has asked India and other national Olympic bodies not to seek late additions to their Asian Games contingents as Japan struggles to accommodate more than 15,000 participants.
Asian Games silver medallist Deepak Punia discusses the impact of the wrestlers' protest on his career and his aspirations for the upcoming Asian Games.
Former World Championships silver medallist Deepak Punia secured his place in the Indian team for the Asian Games after winning the 97kg freestyle competition at the selection trials. Other winners included Aman Sehrawat and Sujeet Kalkal.
Vinesh Phogat's return to competitive wrestling ended in disappointment at the Asian Games selection trials, losing to Meenakshi Goyat in the 53kg semifinals after a controversial and emotionally charged day.
Seventeen Indian sportspersons, including World Cup winning chess player Divya Deshmukh, decathlete Tejaswin Shankar, and shuttler Gayatri Gopichand, have been named for the prestigious Arjuna Award for 2025.
World Championships medallist Vinesh Phogat announced that women wrestlers will appeal a Delhi court's decision to acquit former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar in a sexual harassment case.
