Mirabai Chanu's Asian Games silver ends India's 28-year wait; Arjuna Award push on
Synopsis
Mirabai Chanu's silver in Nagoya didn't just end a 28-year Indian weightlifting drought at the Asian Games — it also reignited a remarkable anomaly: she holds the Padma Shri and Khel Ratna but not the Arjuna Award. Now, the head of Indian weightlifting says he'll personally ask PM Modi to fix that.
Key Takeaways
Mirabai Chanu won silver in the women's 49kg event at the Nagoya Asian Games with a total of 198kg ( 87kg snatch + 111kg clean and jerk).
The medal ends India's 28-year wait for a weightlifting podium finish at the Asian Games, since Karnam Malleswari's silver at the 1998 Bangkok Games .
Gold went to Ri Song-gum (North Korea, 210kg ); bronze to Wijayana Luluk Diani Tri (Indonesia, 191kg ).
The team made a tactical call to skip one lift to prevent injury, with an Olympic qualifier in China next month.
Sahdev Yadav pledged to personally request PM Modi to grant Chanu the Arjuna Award , which she has sought despite holding the Padma Shri and Khel Ratna .
Mirabai Chanu clinched a silver medal in the women's 49kg weightlifting event at the Asian Games in Nagoya on 23 September 2026, lifting a combined total of 198kg (87kg snatch and 111kg clean and jerk) to end India's 28-year medal drought in weightlifting at the continental Games. The feat has reignited calls for her to receive the Arjuna Award — an honour she has long sought despite already holding the Padma Shri and the Khel Ratna.
Historic medal after a long wait
The silver is the first weightlifting medal for India at the Asian Games since Karnam Malleswari won silver at the 1998 Bangkok Games — a gap of 28 years. Chanu's journey to this podium was far from smooth: she missed the 2018 Asian Games entirely due to injury and finished fourth at the 2023 Hangzhou Games, where a thigh injury hampered her clean and jerk performance. The Nagoya medal rounds out a remarkable collection that now includes podium finishes at the Olympics, the Asian Games, and the Commonwealth Games.
The gold went to Ri Song-gum of North Korea with a dominant total of 210kg, while Wijayana Luluk Diani Tri of Indonesia secured the bronze with 191kg.
Team management's calculated call
Chef de Mission and Indian Weightlifting Federation president Sahdev Yadav revealed that the team made a deliberate tactical decision to protect Chanu from injury during one of her lifts, given the packed competition calendar ahead. 'We let her go for one lift because it was of no use. If she goes for a lift in comparison to that and gets injured, we have a lot of Games ahead,' Yadav said.
He confirmed that an Olympic qualifier in China is scheduled for next month, making injury prevention a priority. 'Gold was impossible this time, but we will see in the future,' Yadav added, acknowledging the gap between Chanu's total and the gold-medal mark.
Arjuna Award demand gains momentum
Yadav lent his full weight to Chanu's long-held desire for the Arjuna Award, saying he would personally raise the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 'I will request this time when I meet the Prime Minister to give the Arjuna Award to Mirabai. She has a dream. She wants to have Arjuna's picture, photo, and statue in her house,' Yadav said.
Notably, Chanu already holds India's two highest sporting honours — the Padma Shri and the Khel Ratna — yet the Arjuna Award has eluded her. Critics and sporting circles have found this anomaly puzzling, given that the Arjuna is widely considered a stepping stone that precedes the Khel Ratna in conventional sporting recognition. Yadav was emphatic: 'She deserves it.'
What comes next
With the Olympic qualifier in China next month firmly in the team's sights, Chanu's fitness and form will be closely watched. A strong performance there could set her up for a genuine medal tilt at the next Olympics. Meanwhile, the public and institutional momentum behind the Arjuna Award push is likely to intensify following this historic silver.
Point of View
Which is supposed to precede both. The awards system has never adequately explained this gap, and institutional silence has only deepened Chanu's public sympathy. Yadav's decision to take this directly to the Prime Minister is an admission that the normal administrative channel has failed her. Meanwhile, the tactical silver — where gold was declared 'impossible' and a lift was conceded — raises a legitimate question about the resources and planning depth behind India's weightlifting programme as the next Olympic cycle accelerates.
NationPress
23 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What medal did Mirabai Chanu win at the 2026 Asian Games?
Mirabai Chanu won a silver medal in the women's 49kg weightlifting event at the Nagoya Asian Games, lifting a combined total of 198kg (87kg snatch and 111kg clean and jerk). The gold was claimed by Ri Song-gum of North Korea with 210kg.
Why is Chanu's silver historically significant for India?
Chanu's silver ends India's 28-year medal drought in weightlifting at the Asian Games, the last being Karnam Malleswari's silver at the 1998 Bangkok Games. It also completes Chanu's medal set across the Olympics, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games.
Why hasn't Mirabai Chanu received the Arjuna Award?
The reasons have not been officially explained, which is widely regarded as an anomaly given that Chanu already holds the higher honours of the Khel Ratna and Padma Shri. Sahdev Yadav has pledged to raise the issue directly with PM Modi.
What is Mirabai Chanu's next competition after the Asian Games?
An Olympic qualifier is scheduled in China next month, according to Sahdev Yadav. The team took a conservative approach in Nagoya — conceding one lift — specifically to keep Chanu injury-free for that event.
Who is Sahdev Yadav and what role did he play in Nagoya?
Sahdev Yadav is the Chef de Mission for the Indian contingent at the Nagoya Asian Games and the president of the Indian Weightlifting Federation. He oversaw the tactical decisions around Chanu's lifts and is now championing her Arjuna Award bid.
