India's 15 biggest medal contenders at Asian Games 2026

India will look to make a strong impact at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya.

The Indian contingent will face a formidable challenge at the Asian Games 2026, which began on September 19, as it seeks to match or surpass its record haul of 106 medals from the Hangzhou Asian Games.

India’s star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was one of the country’s biggest medal hopes. However, he has withdrawn from the tournament after tearing an ankle ligament during a training session.

This leaves India with several other medal prospects in shooting, archery, athletics, badminton, wrestling and weightlifting. India sent a 503-strong contingent to the Asian Games 2026.

Let’s take a look at the 15 athletes who could play a crucial role in winning medals for India this time.

Here are India’s biggest medal contenders in Aichi-Nagoya

1. Manu Bhaker (Shooting)

The double medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics is one of the country’s best hopes for an individual shooting medal.

India won seven of their 28 gold medals in shooting at the Hangzhou Asian Games, and Manu Bhaker’s inclusion gives the country a proven performer with experience at the highest level.

2. Esha Singh (Shooting)

The young shooter is in great shape for the coming competition. She is currently ranked World No. 1 in the women’s 25m pistol and World No. 2 in the 10m air pistol. She has competed in a couple of World Cups and has won a bronze medal at the World Championships.

Esha also enjoyed a successful campaign at the Hangzhou 2022, securing two silver medals in individual events and a gold in the team event.

3. Jyothi Surekha Vennam (Compound Archery)

Jyothi Surekha Vennam is one of India’s biggest hopes for an archery medal. She has never failed to reach the podium at this event, claiming three gold medals in Hangzhou 2022. She also won a silver in Jakarta 2018 and bronze in Incheon 2014, making her a top medal prospect in this sport.

4. Dhiraj Bommadevara (Archery-Recurve)

Dhiraj Bommadevara became the first Indian to win the Archery World Cup summit clash, booking a berth for this Asiad.

He clinched gold at the 2026 Antalya World Cup and is widely regarded as one of the finest male recurve archers India has produced. He also secured silver in the team event at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games.

5. Avinash Sable (Athletics)

Avinash Sable is a former Asian Games gold medallist and holds the Indian national record in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase.

After returning from a lengthy injury layoff, he clinched the Indian Athletics Series Summit Clash and has emerged as one of India’s key medal contenders, showing encouraging form in recent competitions.

6. Mirabai Chanu (Weightlifting)

The Tokyo Olympics silver medalist will chase her maiden gold medal at the Asian Games. Mirabai Chanu is targeting another major accolade to add to her decorated weightlifting career, with the 49kg category her intended weight class if fully fit.

7. PV Sindhu (Badminton)

Two-time Olympic medalist and former world champion, PV Sindhu is one of India’s most seasoned medal contenders in badminton. The upcoming competition will be her chance to add an individual medal to her already glittering career.

She already has a bronze (Incheon 2014) and silver (Jakarta 2018) at the Asian Games. After missing out in Hangzhou 2022, Sindhu is expected to leave no stone unturned in her quest for the elusive gold in this event. However, she faces a formidable challenge ahead.

8. Lakshya Sen (Badminton)

Lakshya Sen is another good bet for an individual medal in badminton. The Indian shuttler has consistently performed at the highest level and will enter the men’s singles event as one of India’s leading medal contenders.

After winning silver at the previous edition, he will be aiming to go one step further this time.

9. Aman Sehrawat (Wrestling)

One of India’s top medal prospects in wrestling will be the bronze medalist at the Paris Olympics. Wrestling has been India’s mainstay in medals at the Asian Games, and Aman Sehrawat will be among the country’s top medal contenders. He won a bronze in Hangzhou and is desperate to do better in Aichi-Nagoya.

10. Sujeet Kalkal (Wrestling)

Another one of India’s top medal hopes in individual wrestling is Sujeet Kalkal. After raising concerns over the selection trials that ruled him out of the 2022 Games, he has earned his place in the squad this time and will look to make the most of his opportunity on his Asian Games debut.

In total, he has won nine competitive gold medals in the sport across events, along with a couple of bronze medals, making him a huge golden prospect for the Indian wrestling contingent.

11. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty (Badminton)

India’s star men’s doubles duo and reigning Asian Games champions, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, will be aiming to retain the gold medal they won in Hangzhou. It was historic, making them the first Indian badminton doubles pair to win gold at the Asian Games.

Since then, the pair has further strengthened their record by winning a bronze medal at the World Championships. They also played a pivotal role in India’s historic Thomas Cup victory. The duo will be among India’s strongest medal hopes in badminton as they bid to defend their title.

12. Tajinderpal Singh Toor (Athletics)

Tajinderpal Singh Toor will look to win three successive Asian Games gold medals in the men’s shot put. He is one of India’s best prospects in athletics. Since his Hangzhou gold, he has also won a silver at the Asian Indoor Championships.

13. Parul Choudhary (Athletics)

The Asian Games champion will compete in the women’s 5,000m at the 2026 Asian Games. India won more medals in athletics than in any other sport in Hangzhou, and Parul Choudhary will be one of the country’s main medal hopes in the discipline.

She backed up her 2022 Asian Games performance with two silver medals at the 2025 Asian Championships in Gumi.

14. Lovlina Borgohain (Boxing)

The former world champion and Paris 2024 bronze medalist will fight in the women’s 75kg category. Lovlina Borgohain, one of India’s most experienced boxers, is one of the country’s top medal prospects, and her silver medal at the Commonwealth Games a few months ago proves that she is not slowing down anytime soon.

15. Anahat Singh (Squash)

A rising squash star has earned her place at the Asian Games 2026 after winning the Junior World Championship. Now ranked 20th in the world and third in Asia, Anahat Singh enters the continental showpiece with growing expectations.

She has already won two Asiad bronze medals, finishing third in the team event and mixed doubles at Hangzhou 2023. At Aichi-Nagoya, Anahat will be eyeing a breakthrough individual medal to add to her growing collection.

Her latest achievements include winning the 2025 Squash World Cup and twin golds at the 2025 Asian Championships.

Before these breakthroughs, Anahat had already established herself on the junior circuit, winning bronze and gold at the 2025 and 2026 World Junior Championships, respectively. She also claimed a bronze and a gold at the 2025 Asian Junior Championships.

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