CM Saini Hails Haryana Rowers' Historic World Rowing Cup Gold
Synopsis
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has congratulated state athletes Lakshya and Ujjwal Kumar Singh for winning India's first-ever gold medal in the men's lightweight double sculls at the World Rowing Cup, calling it a historic moment for Indian sport and an inspiration for the nation's youth.
Key Takeaways
Lakshya and Ujjwal Kumar Singh , both from Haryana , won gold in the men's lightweight double sculls at the World Rowing Cup — a first for India in this event.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini publicly congratulated the duo on 2 July 2026 , calling it a moment of immense national pride.
Saini described the achievement as 'a source of inspiration for the youth of the country and a symbol of the golden future of Indian sports.' The win reflects Haryana's expanding sports ecosystem beyond its traditional strengths in wrestling and athletics.
The Khelo India programme, active since 2017 , has been instrumental in building the grassroots talent pipeline that supports results like this.
India's rowing performances in the 2026 World Rowing Cup series will feed into qualification pathways for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics .
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday, 2 July 2026, congratulated two athletes from the state — Lakshya and Ujjwal Kumar Singh — for winning India's first-ever gold medal in the men's lightweight double sculls event at the World Rowing Cup, calling the achievement a moment of immense national pride.
Posting on X, Saini wrote: 'भारत के लिए अत्यंत गौरव का क्षण!' ('A moment of immense pride for India!'), adding that the duo's historic accomplishment is 'a source of inspiration for the youth of the country and a symbol of the golden future of Indian sports.' He urged the athletes to continue raising the nation's honour with the same dedication, discipline, and outstanding performance.
Context
The World Rowing Cup is an annual international regatta series governed by World Rowing, the sport's global federation. The men's lightweight double sculls is a contested Olympic-pathway discipline that tests endurance and technical precision over a 2,000-metre course. India's gold in this category at a World Rowing Cup marks a significant first for the country in the event.
Haryana is one of India's most productive states for elite sport, historically dominant in wrestling and athletics. The emergence of competitive rowers from the state signals a broadening of its sporting footprint beyond traditional disciplines.
Policy Backdrop
The achievement sits within a wider national push to develop grassroots sporting talent. The Khelo India programme, launched in 2017, has been central to identifying and nurturing athletes across disciplines, including aquatic and rowing sports, by funding academies and competitive exposure at the national level.
Haryana's state government has maintained dedicated sports academies and financial incentive structures for medal-winning athletes. These institutional supports are increasingly being credited for the pipeline of internationally competitive talent the state continues to produce.
Stakeholders and Impact
The immediate beneficiaries are Lakshya and Ujjwal Kumar Singh themselves, whose gold medal performance elevates their national profile and strengthens their case for selection in future international competitions. Young rowers and aspiring athletes across Haryana and the broader country stand to benefit from the motivational effect of the win.
State sports departments and rowing federations are also stakeholders, as a result of this calibre reinforces the argument for sustained investment in rowing infrastructure, coaching, and competitive exposure at the international level.
What's Next
Attention will now turn to India's performance in the remaining World Rowing Cup regattas in the 2026 series, with each result feeding into ranking points and qualification conversations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. A strong showing across the series could place Indian lightweight rowing on the global map ahead of the Olympic cycle.
For Lakshya and Ujjwal Kumar Singh, the gold is likely to bring increased institutional support and selection priority, making their trajectory over the next two years one to watch closely in Indian rowing circles.
Point of View
Effusive congratulation is consistent with the established pattern of Indian state leaders leveraging international sporting wins to project regional and national progress. For Haryana, which has long staked its identity partly on athletic excellence, a rowing gold is particularly significant as it signals diversification beyond the state's traditional medal-earning disciplines. The post also carries a subtle policy signal — framing the win as proof of a 'golden future for Indian sports' aligns with the Centre's Khelo India narrative and may be read as implicit advocacy for continued federal and state investment in non-mainstream disciplines. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic cycle approaching, such moments tend to accelerate institutional attention and funding for the athletes involved.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Lakshya and Ujjwal Kumar Singh?
Lakshya and Ujjwal Kumar Singh are rowers from Haryana who won India's first-ever gold medal in the men's lightweight double sculls event at the World Rowing Cup in 2026.
What is the World Rowing Cup?
The World Rowing Cup is an annual international rowing competition series organised by World Rowing, the sport's global governing body, featuring multiple regattas across the calendar year.
What did Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini say about the rowing gold?
CM Nayab Singh Saini called it 'a moment of immense pride for India,' describing the achievement as a source of inspiration for the country's youth and a symbol of the golden future of Indian sports.
What is the men's lightweight double sculls event in rowing?
The men's lightweight double sculls is a competitive rowing discipline in which two athletes with weight restrictions row a single boat over a 2,000-metre course; it is part of the Olympic-pathway event roster.
How does Haryana support its athletes?
Haryana maintains dedicated state sports academies, financial incentive structures for medal-winning athletes, and benefits from central government schemes like Khelo India, which has funded grassroots talent development since 2017.
