Shekhawat hails India women's kabaddi gold at Asian Games 2026
Synopsis
Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat congratulated India's women's kabaddi team on winning gold at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, calling it a glimpse of India's 'golden sporting future' and praising the players' grit and determination.
Key Takeaways
India's women's kabaddi team won the gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan .
Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat posted congratulations on X on 26 September 2026 .
He described the achievement as a glimpse of India's 'golden sporting future,' citing the players' grit and determination.
India has maintained a dominant record in kabaddi at the Asian Games since the sport's debut in the event in 1990 .
The Khelo India scheme, launched in 2017 , has supported grassroots development in disciplines including kabaddi, contributing to sustained international success.
India's women kabaddi team delivered a gold-medal performance at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan — and the country's top cultural envoy was among the first to trumpet it. Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat took to X on Saturday, 26 September 2026 to congratulate the squad, calling their triumph a glimpse of India's 'golden sporting future.'
Posting with the hashtags #AsianGames2026 and #Cheer4Bharat, Shekhawat wrote: 'Our daughters have shown another glimpse of India's golden future in sports with their sheer grit and determination. Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to this wonderful team on this inspiring achievement.'
Kabaddi's golden thread through Asian Games history
This result is no thunderbolt from the blue. India has dominated kabaddi at the Asian Games since the sport was introduced to the programme in 1990, with the women's team carving out its own record of consistent excellence across every edition since. The contact sport — rooted in the Indian subcontinent — carries both cultural weight and competitive prestige, making every gold a statement well beyond the medal stand.
The Aichi-Nagoya edition of the quadrennial Games is the first time Japan has hosted the event, raising the visibility of Asian athletics broadly and giving Indian women's team sports a global stage to command.
Khelo India's invisible hand in the result
Behind the gold is a policy architecture years in the making. The Khelo India scheme, launched in 2017, has systematically funnelled resources into grassroots athlete development across disciplines — including traditional contact sports such as kabaddi. The programme identifies talent early, funds training infrastructure, and creates competitive pathways that eventually feed into national squads. Results like today's are, in part, its dividend.
Ministers from the culture, sports, and foreign affairs portfolios routinely amplify international sports wins as markers of Brand India — and Shekhawat's post fits squarely in that tradition. But the kabaddi women's gold carries extra resonance: it intersects the government's push on women-led development, indigenous sports promotion, and soft-power projection all at once. Three birds, one gold medal.
Point of View
Particularly Khelo India, to demonstrate governance dividend. The women's kabaddi gold fits neatly into a broader pattern of framing women athletes as proof-points of national transformation. Watch for whether formal recognition — cash awards, felicitation ceremonies — follows from the Sports Ministry, which would convert a social-media moment into durable policy optics.
NationPress
26 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Did India win gold in women's kabaddi at the Asian Games 2026?
Yes, India's women's kabaddi team won the gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as confirmed by Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat's post on 26 September 2026.
Where are the Asian Games 2026 being held?
The Asian Games 2026 are being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan — marking the first time Japan has hosted the quadrennial multi-sport event.
Who is Gajendra Singh Shekhawat?
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is India's Union Minister of Culture and Tourism , a senior BJP leader, and a Lok Sabha MP from Jodhpur, Rajasthan .
How has India performed in kabaddi at the Asian Games historically?
India has maintained a dominant record in kabaddi at the Asian Games since the sport was included in the programme in 1990 , with both the men's and women's teams winning consistently across multiple editions.
What is the Khelo India scheme and how does it relate to kabaddi?
Launched in 2017 , Khelo India is a government initiative to promote grassroots sports and athlete development across India, including traditional contact sports such as kabaddi, helping build the talent pipeline that feeds into international squads.
