Vaishnaw hails India's Kabaddi Double Gold at Asian Games 2026
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
India's kabaddi dominance just wrote another golden chapter. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took to X on Saturday, September 26, 2026, to celebrate a historic double — both the Indian men's and women's kabaddi teams clinching gold medals at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
India's kabaddi sweep at Aichi-Nagoya
The twin gold medals complete a clean sweep for India in kabaddi at this edition of the Games — a feat that underlines the country's enduring grip on the sport it gave to the world. The minister's post read: 'Double Gold by our Kabaddi champions! India's Kabaddi teams, both Women and Men, bring home Gold at #AsianGames2026.' The exclamation was well earned.
Kabaddi is one of the rare arenas where India has maintained near-unbroken continental supremacy. The last time both teams returned with gold from the Asian Games was at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang edition — making back-to-back doubles a statement of consistent, structured excellence rather than a one-off surge.
A sport rooted at home, dominant abroad
India's kabaddi program has long been treated as a flagship for indigenous sports promotion, receiving state and central funding alongside the rise of professional leagues that deepened the talent pool. The results at continental level have reflected that investment. Winning on both the men's and women's sides in the same tournament is not just about athletic output — it signals depth across genders, age groups, and training pipelines.
For the Indian Olympic Association and the broader sports establishment, a double kabaddi gold also adds meaningful weight to the overall medal tally at Aichi-Nagoya, with several other events still to conclude.