Amit Shah Hails Joshna, Velavan's Asian Games Bronze
Synopsis
Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated squash players Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar on winning the bronze medal in the Squash Mixed Doubles event at the Asian Games 2026, calling it a moment of national pride.
Key Takeaways
Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar won the bronze medal in Squash Mixed Doubles at Asian Games 2026 .
Union Home Minister Amit Shah publicly congratulated both athletes on September 26, 2026 .
Joshna Chinappa is a veteran Indian squash player with a long history of Asian Games appearances.
Velavan Senthilkumar is an emerging Indian squash talent competing at the international level.
The result adds to India's medal tally at the Asian Games 2026 and raises the sport's profile nationally.
A bronze medal in squash mixed doubles — and a Union Cabinet minister pausing to make sure the country notices. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday, September 26, congratulated Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar on clinching the bronze medal in the Squash Mixed Doubles event at the Asian Games 2026.
Joshna Chinappa's long road to another Asian Games podium
Joshna Chinappa is one of India's most decorated squash players, a veteran who has represented the country at multiple Asian Games editions and carried the sport's profile on her shoulders for over a decade. Her presence in the mixed doubles draw at Asian Games 2026 underlines a career defined by consistency at the continental level — and this bronze adds another chapter to a story Indian squash fans know well. Velavan Senthilkumar, her doubles partner, has been building his international profile through national and international circuit appearances. A shared podium finish at the Asian Games is the kind of moment that can define the arc of a younger player's career.Why the mixed doubles result matters for Indian squash
Squash rarely commands the headline space of cricket or athletics at multi-sport events, which makes ministerial acknowledgment — from a figure as senior as the Home Minister — a genuine signal of institutional recognition. Shah's post, addressed directly to both athletes by name, cuts through the noise of a busy medal-table cycle and plants a flag: these two athletes delivered for India. The Asian Games, held across Asian nations under the Olympic Council of Asia, is the continent's premier multi-sport competition. A medal there, in any discipline, carries weight in athlete rankings, national sports funding conversations, and future selection discussions. For Indian squash, the mixed doubles bronze is the kind of result that builds momentum — one more data point in a sport quietly expanding its footprint on the national stage.Point of View
Which sits outside the mainstream funding spotlight, ministerial recognition from the Home Minister carries soft-power weight that can influence future Sports Authority of India allocations and Khelo India programming. Joshna Chinappa's continued presence at elite level also anchors a generational bridge for the sport. The mixed doubles result, modest as a single medal, fits into a broader pattern of India steadily expanding its podium footprint across non-traditional disciplines at Asian Games.
NationPress
26 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Did India win a medal in squash at Asian Games 2026?
Yes, India's Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar won the bronze medal in the Squash Mixed Doubles event at the Asian Games 2026 .
Who is Joshna Chinappa?
Joshna Chinappa is one of India's most accomplished squash players, with a long career spanning multiple Asian Games and international tournaments.
Who is Velavan Senthilkumar?
Velavan Senthilkumar is an Indian squash player who competes at the national and international level and partnered Joshna Chinappa in the mixed doubles event at Asian Games 2026.
What did Amit Shah say about the squash bronze medal?
Union Home Minister Amit Shah posted on X saying he was 'proud' of both athletes and wished that 'victory always be yours,' personally acknowledging the bronze medal win.
Where are Asian Games 2026 being held?
The Asian Games 2026 is a multi-sport event organised under the Olympic Council of Asia for nations across the continent; the specific host city of the 2026 edition is not confirmed in available information.
