The 20th Asian Games have officially commenced in Nagoya with a high-tech opening ceremony. India's 501-member contingent is led by flag bearers Manu Bhaker and Pawan Sehrawat, with some events already underway, including India's women's cricket team reaching the semifinals and a teqball bronze medal opportunity.
The Indian men's chess team secured a dominant 3.5-0.5 victory over Uzbekistan-2, placing them in sole second position at the 46th Chess Olympiad. The Indian women's team drew 2-2 with leaders China, maintaining their third-place standing. Both teams are well-positioned for medals as the tournament approaches its final stages.
India's first Archery World Cup Final male gold-medallist, Dhiraj Bommadevara, has inspired the national team ahead of the Asian Games. Dola Banerjee, India's first World Cup Final gold-medallist, believes his triumph will boost confidence and help the team surpass its previous medal haul, despite a new-look squad.
Indian judoka Inungambi Takhellambam lost her bronze medal bout in the women's 70kg category at the Asian Games to Mongolia's Anujin Uran-Ulzii. This defeat meant India missed out on a medal in the event. Another Indian judoka, Yamini Mourya, also saw her campaign end in the repechage round of the women's 57kg category.
Assured of the only major medal missing from her decorated cabinet without even stepping into the ring, Lovlina Borgohain will now chase Commonwealth Games gold even as a new generation of Indian boxers look to announce themselves on the big stage starting in Glasgow on Friday.
India's canoeing team concluded its Asian Games campaign without securing any medals, a decline from their bronze-medal performance in the previous Hangzhou edition. The absence of the men's canoe double 1000m event, where India previously medalled, impacted their prospects.
Indian women's hockey captain Salima Tete believes the team's recent FIH Nations Cup triumph has instilled the confidence needed to compete for the top prize at the FIH Women's World Cup 2026, despite facing a challenging pool.
Glasgow 2026 will look very different for India. Several of the country's biggest medal-winning sports-including wrestling, badminton, hockey and table tennis-have been dropped from the Commonwealth Games, leaving India with far fewer chances to add to its medal tally.
'Being World No. 2 will give us good confidence when we compete at the Asian Games.'
Indian skeet shooter Anantjeet Singh Naruka has positioned himself strongly for the Asian Games final, tying for the lead after four qualification rounds. While other Indian male shooters struggled, Naruka's performance offers hope. In women's skeet, Raiza Dhillon and Parinaaz Dhaliwal are also in contention for individual medals, and the women's team holds a bronze medal position, though facing tough competition. The final qualification rounds are crucial for India's medal aspirations.
'No point in looking for excuses': Coach Ashutosh Singh on India's Asiad tennis flop.
Indian wrestlers Jaskaran Singh and Chandermohan have advanced to the bronze medal bouts in their respective weight categories at the U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas. Rohit and Shivan also remain in contention for medals through the repechage rounds, while Sumit Bharaskar's campaign concluded.
Indian women's cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur expressed her joy and hope after securing a gold medal at the Asian Games, defeating Sri Lanka. She believes this victory will inspire other Indian athletes to win more medals and highlighted the team's focus on adapting to conditions despite initial concerns about facilities in Japan. Kaur also reflected on the unique experience of winning a medal for the country compared to traditional trophies.
India's badminton contingent is set to begin its Asian Games campaign, with the men's team aiming to improve on their previous silver medal and the women's team seeking a second medal. Key players like Lakshya Sen, Satwik-Chirag, PV Sindhu, and Treesa Jolly/Gayatri Gopichand are expected to lead the charge against strong opponents like Japan, China, and Korea in both team and individual events.
Indian paddlers concluded their Asian Games canoeing campaign without securing any medals, falling short of their previous performance at the Hangzhou edition.
PGTI president Kapil Dev stated on Friday that Pranavi Urs' recent gold medal at the Asian Games is a crucial step in popularising golf in India, hoping to inspire young talent to achieve global success. He also announced the Shri Shashi Ruia Memorial Golf Championship, set to begin next year with a significant prize purse. Additionally, Dev shared his observations on the evolving mindset within Indian cricket regarding global tournament victories.
India's skeet shooting teams secured two bronze medals at the Asian Games, with both the men's and women's teams reaching the podium. This achievement provided a much-needed boost to India's shooting campaign, despite individual shooters Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Raiza Dhillon narrowly missing out on individual medals, finishing fourth in their respective events.
Star Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu is set to compete in the Asian Games, aiming to secure her first medal at the event. Despite an Olympic silver and world title, an Asian Games medal remains the only major honour missing from her collection, making this a crucial competition for her.
Indian trap shooter Neeru Dhanda, a Naib Subedar in the Indian Army, won three medals (two gold, one silver) at the 2026 Asian Games, including India's first individual Asian Games gold in women's trap shooting. She dedicated her medals to the Indian Army and its soldiers. Fellow Army Havildar Kamaljeet also secured a gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event and expressed gratitude to the Army, with both athletes now targeting upcoming World Championships and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
India's track and field contingent delivered a stellar performance at the Asian Para Games, securing 22 medals, including five gold, and propelling the nation to fifth in the overall standings. Sprinter Simran, high-jumper Praveen Kumar, and shot-putter Sachin Khilari notably set new Games records, contributing significantly to India's medal tally across various para-sports.
Megha Sheokand has secured India's second medal at the World Boxing U-19 Championships by reaching the semifinals in the women's 80kg category. This follows Prachi Tokas, who secured the first medal in the 57kg category. Other Indian boxers, Himanshi and Anshika, exited in the pre-quarterfinals.
Indian table tennis mixed doubles pair Diya Chitale and Manush Shah secured a coveted Asian Games medal, overcoming a recent slump in form and the personal tragedy of Diya's coach Peter Engel's death. Their triumph is seen as a fitting tribute to Engel and fuels India's hopes for an Olympic medal in the future.
Indian boxer Sachin Siwach has advanced to the men's 60kg quarterfinals at the Asian Games with a 4-1 victory over Mohammad Adnan Abu Jajeh. Meanwhile, last edition's bronze medallist Preeti Pawar was eliminated after a 0-5 loss to North Korea's Pang Chol M in the women's 54kg round of 16. Siwach is now one win away from securing a medal.
Ambitious India out to match Hangzhou benchmark in Nagoya.
Rower Satnam Singh, who clinched a historic bronze medal in the men's double sculls at the 2026 Asian Games, stated the achievement belonged not just to him but to India's 1.4 billion people, marking the country's first medal in the event since 1951.
National record holder Vishal TK has qualified for the men's 400m semifinals at the Commonwealth Games, keeping India's medal aspirations alive. His compatriot Rajesh Ramesh, however, narrowly missed out on qualification. Vishal, who holds the national record of 44.98 seconds, finished second in his heat and will compete in the semifinals on July 30.
Indian squash player Abhay Singh expressed disappointment despite winning two medals at the Asian Games, particularly with the men's team bronze, feeling it was a missed opportunity for gold. He also aims for gold in individual events and is now focused on qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Indian wrestlers secured a six-medal haul, including two golds, at the Asian Games in Nagoya, overcoming injuries and form slumps. Gold medallists Aman Sehrawat and Sujeet Kalkal, along with silver winners Nitesh Siwach and Antim Panghal, and bronze medallists Deepak Punia and Sunil Kumar, are now setting their sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, expressing determination to bring home more glory.
India's Para Asian Games contingent received a formal send-off in New Delhi, with Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya launching the new Team India jersey. Prominent para-athletes, including flag bearer Pramod Bhagat, attended the ceremony. Mandaviya encouraged the athletes to win medals, assuring them of government support. Head coach Satyanarayana expressed confidence in medal prospects despite a reduced quota, while athletes like Suvarna Raj and Pramod Bhagat voiced their determination to secure medals.
Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh assured themselves of singles medals at the Asian Games by advancing to the semi-finals in their respective events at the Asian Games on Friday.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy congratulated archers Chikitha Taniparthi, Vennam Jyothi Surekha, and Prithika Pradeep for winning a gold medal in the women's compound archery team event at the Asian Games 2026. He also extended wishes to all Indian athletes and highlighted the inspiring nature of their achievements, which also included a mixed team gold and an Olympic quota for the 2028 Olympics.
Indian leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi shares his unique experience at the Asian Games, highlighting the distinct feeling of winning medals for India compared to trophies for the BCCI. He also discusses the team's accommodation and travel, and their desire to explore other sports.
Spread across 437 kilometres and four stages, the Pune Grand Tour, starting on Monday, will feature around 170 riders from 35 countries, including 12 locals.
Satwik-Chirag's BWF World Championships campaign ended in a disappointing quarter-final defeat.
Indian athletes secured five medals, including two silvers, at the ongoing Asian Games in Nagoya. Long jumper Ancy Sojan and high jumper Sarvesh Kushare each won silver, while decathlete Tejaswin Shankar, 3000m steeplechaser Parul Chaudhary, and 200m runner Harita Bhadra clinched bronze medals, contributing to India's growing tally.
Indian shooter Rudrankksh Patil secured three medals at the Asian Games - an individual bronze and two team silvers - expressing satisfaction with his progress despite not yet reaching peak form. He views these medals as crucial motivation and proof of moving in the right direction, aiming for continued improvement. Fellow shooter Vidarsha K Vinod also celebrated two team silver medals in her Asian Games debut, setting her sights on gold at the upcoming World Championship.
The Indian table tennis team, featuring strong contenders like the men's doubles pair of Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar, has commenced its Asian Games campaign in Nagoya with aspirations of securing at least one medal. Both men's and women's teams are in Group F, facing Indonesia and other opponents. The team, a mix of experienced players and rising stars like Syndrela Das, is confident after acclimatising to the conditions.
India's Amruta Pujari has stormed into the women's 72kg final at the Under-23 World Wrestling Championships, while Komal secured a bronze medal in the 59kg category. Sweety and Vaishnavi Patil are also in contention for bronze through repechage, adding to Vishvajit More's earlier silver medal.
India faces a challenging Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya with a significantly smaller contingent of 168 athletes, down from 303. While aiming to build on its record 111-medal haul from the last Games, selection disputes in para-shooting and para-cycling, coupled with reduced athlete numbers in key disciplines like para-athletics, pose hurdles. Despite these challenges, star athletes across para-athletics, archery, para-badminton, shooting, and table tennis are expected to lead India's medal charge.
Jay Meena, once a mischievous schoolboy rusticated for a prank, has made history by winning India's first-ever Asian Games medal in soft tennis. His journey from a troubled youth to a bronze medallist at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games is a testament to destiny and the guidance of his coach. Meena hopes his achievement will boost the sport's profile in India and pave the way for its inclusion in future events like the Commonwealth Games.
