Asian Games 2026: Meet the Indian Women Athletes Behind India's Medal

By: Ayushi Dutta, Senior Correspondent

The tricolour has been rising across Aichi-Nagoya, one podium at a time. From the shooting range and athletics track to the kabaddi mat, cricket field, squash court and combat arena, Indian women athletes have emerged as major contributors to India’s medal campaign at the Asian Games 2026.

The 20th Asian Games, officially known as the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, are being held in Japan from 19 September to 4 October 2026. India has fielded a large contingent across several disciplines, with women athletes playing a significant role in the country’s campaign.

As the Asian Games progress through their second week, Indian women have repeatedly climbed onto the podium. The Indian women’s cricket team retained its Asian Games gold, the women’s kabaddi team defended its title, while shooters including Elavenil Valarivan, Suruchi Singh, Esha Singh, Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Raiza Dhillon and Maheshwari Chauhan have added multiple medals. Athletics has also produced a steady stream of podium finishes through Ancy Sojan, Parul Chaudhary, Seema Kumari, Harita Bhadra, Baranica Elangovan, Prachi Choudhary and Manpreet Kaur, among others.

The Games have also produced several historic milestones. Baranica Elangovan won India’s first Asian Games medal in women’s pole vault, Suchika Tariyal delivered India’s first Asian Games MMA medal, while Anahat Singh became the first Indian woman to reach the Asian Games squash singles final.

Also Read: Asian Games 2026: Dates, Venue, Indian Women's Schedule

With the Games continuing until 4 October, the first half has already demonstrated the depth and variety of India’s women’s sporting talent. Here is a look at the Indian women athletes and teams who have powered the country’s medal charge so far.

Asian Games 2026 Indian Women Gold Medal Winners

Asian Games 2026: Indian Women’s Kabaddi Team Retains Gold

The Indian women’s kabaddi team successfully defended its Asian Games title after defeating Iran 37-34 in the final. India entered the tournament as defending champions and overcame a closely fought contest to retain the gold medal. The victory continued India’s strong record in Asian Games kabaddi and gave the team another title after its previous triumph at Hangzhou 2023. The result also made the women’s kabaddi team one of India’s early gold-medal contributors at Aichi-Nagoya. The team’s performance reflected its ability to handle pressure during a competitive final and maintain its position among India’s leading women’s team-sport performers.

Suruchi Singh and Kamaljeet Win 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team Gold

Suruchi Singh and Kamaljeet won the gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event, defeating South Korea 484.6-478.0 in the final. The Indian pair also set an Asian Games record with their winning score. Their combination of accuracy and consistency placed them ahead of the South Korean pair in the gold-medal contest. The victory added another major shooting medal to India’s campaign and highlighted the country’s strength in mixed-team shooting events. Suruchi Singh’s contribution also added to the growing list of successful performances by Indian women shooters at Aichi-Nagoya, while the pair’s record-setting result gave India an important gold in the shooting competition.

Indian Women’s Cricket Team Defends Asian Games Gold

The Indian women’s cricket team retained its Asian Games gold after defeating Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the women’s T20 final. India posted 216/3, with Smriti Mandhana scoring 79, Shafali Verma making 48 and Richa Ghosh hitting an unbeaten 49 off 22 balls. Sri Lanka were restricted to 69, with Deepti Sharma taking three wickets. The victory gave India its second consecutive Asian Games women’s cricket gold after its title-winning campaign at Hangzhou 2023. The comprehensive final victory combined strong batting with disciplined bowling and helped India successfully defend its continental title. The result further underlined the team’s contribution to India’s women’s sporting success.