Puri Hails Double Kabaddi Gold as India Sweeps Men's and Women's Finals
Synopsis
India's men's kabaddi team defeated Iran to win gold on 26 September 2026, completing a historic double after the women's team also claimed gold earlier the same day. Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri celebrated the sweep as 'a moment of immense pride for the nation.'
Key Takeaways
The Indian men's kabaddi team defeated Iran in the final to claim gold on 26 September 2026 .
The Indian women's kabaddi team had secured gold earlier the same day, completing a historic double.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri publicly congratulated Team India, calling it 'a spectacular day for Indian kabaddi.' India has historically dominated international kabaddi, including at successive Asian Games cycles.
Both men's and women's golds arriving on the same day is a rare and significant achievement in the sport.
India swept both kabaddi golds in a single day — the women's team first, then the men's finishing the job against Iran — and Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri captured the national mood on Saturday, 26 September 2026, calling it 'a spectacular day for Indian kabaddi and a moment of immense pride for the nation.'
Men's team seals it against Iran
The Indian men's kabaddi team defeated Iran in the final to claim gold, completing a remarkable double for the country. Iran has long been one of kabaddi's most formidable opponents, making the victory over them in the title match all the more significant. Puri's post noted it was India's 'second kabaddi gold' of the day, underlining just how dominant the nation's kabaddi programme proved to be.
Women's gold sets the tone earlier in the day
The Indian women's kabaddi team had already secured the top prize earlier on the same day, setting the stage for what would become a historic sweep. Both golds arriving within hours of each other amplified the celebration far beyond what either result alone might have prompted. Days like this are rare in any sport — back-to-back finals, back-to-back wins.
India's kabaddi dominance on the continental stage
Indian kabaddi teams have consistently delivered strong results across major international events, including successive Asian Games cycles where both the men's and women's squads have featured regularly among the medallists. The sport, indigenous to the subcontinent, has seen India assert itself as the benchmark nation in competitive kabaddi. A clean sweep of both titles in one day is the kind of result that cements legacies.
Ministers across portfolios routinely take to social media to acknowledge national sports victories — it is part of how the government connects with public sentiment around athletic achievement. But a double gold in kabaddi, the sport that most directly carries Indian sporting identity on the world stage, tends to draw a particular warmth from officials and fans alike.
When a nation wins both the men's and women's gold in its own game on the same afternoon, the scoreboard doesn't need much commentary. India said everything on the mat.
Point of View
Given kabaddi's indigenous roots. For the BJP government, ministers amplifying such moments on social media is deliberate public diplomacy: it ties the ruling dispensation to athletic pride without requiring policy involvement. India's consistent kabaddi dominance across Asian Games cycles has made the sport a reliable source of soft-power narrative, and a sweep of both titles reinforces that story at a moment when India's sporting ambitions are expanding well beyond cricket.
NationPress
26 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Did India win the kabaddi gold medal in 2026?
Yes, India won both the men's and women's kabaddi gold medals on 26 September 2026, with the men's team defeating Iran in the final.
Who did India beat in the men's kabaddi final?
India defeated Iran in the men's kabaddi final to claim the gold medal.
Did India's women's kabaddi team also win gold?
Yes, the Indian women's kabaddi team secured gold earlier on the same day, 26 September 2026, completing a historic double for India.
What did Hardeep Singh Puri say about the kabaddi gold?
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri called it 'a spectacular day for Indian kabaddi and a moment of immense pride for the nation,' congratulating Team India on the double gold.
How has India performed in kabaddi at major international events?
India has maintained a dominant record in international kabaddi, with both its men's and women's teams consistently finishing among the top performers at events including the Asian Games.
