Asian Junior Squash 2025: India assured of 8 medals at Panzhihua
Synopsis
Eight Indian juniors are in the semifinals at the 33rd Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships in Panzhihua, China — guaranteeing at least eight medals. With an all-Indian U-17 boys' semifinal between Shiven Agarwal and Lokesh Subramani, and defending U-17 champion Aryaveer Dewan hunting U-19 glory, India's depth across age groups is the real story.
Key Takeaways
India are assured of at least 8 medals at the 33rd Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships in Panzhihua, China .
Shiven Agarwal and Lokesh Subramani will meet in an all-Indian boys' U-17 semifinal.
Defending U-17 champion Aryaveer Dewan advanced to the boys' U-19 semifinals, beating Yusha Nafees .
Girls' semifinalists include Anika Dubey (U-17), Shanaya Parasrampuria , and Divyanshi Jain (both U-13).
Abhyuday Arora and Amarya Bajaj both reached the boys' U-13 last four.
India are assured of at least eight medals at the 33rd Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships in Panzhihua, China, after a wave of young Indian players stormed into the semifinals across multiple age categories on Friday, 22 May 2025. Shiven Agarwal spearheaded the charge, and the contingent's depth across boys' and girls' draws underlines India's growing dominance in junior Asian squash.
Shiven Agarwal and the Boys' U-17 Charge
Seeded 5/8, Shiven Agarwal dispatched Singaporean Rehaan Singh in straight games — 11-7, 11-6, 11-6 — in the boys' U-17 quarterfinals. He will now face fellow Indian Squash Academy trainee Lokesh Subramani in an all-Indian semifinal. Lokesh had earlier beaten compatriot Hridhaan Shah 11-9, 11-8, 4-11, 11-6 in the quarters, setting up a blockbuster domestic showdown. Notably, Hridhaan had been in fine form earlier in the day, knocking out Malaysian top seed Muhammad Haiqal Hazim Bin Syarudin 11-13, 11-5, 11-4, 11-7 in the pre-quarterfinals.
Aryaveer Dewan Eyes Back-to-Back Glory in U-19
Aryaveer Dewan, who claimed the boys' U-17 crown at last year's edition, has stepped up to the U-19 category and advanced to the semifinals after defeating compatriot Yusha Nafees in four closely contested games — 11-9, 12-10, 3-11, 11-9. The result confirms India's medal in the U-19 boys' draw as well.
Girls' Categories Deliver Strong Results
Anika Dubey powered into the girls' U-17 semifinals, beating Singaporean Naisha Singh 11-7, 11-7, 11-4. In the girls' U-13 draw, both Shanaya Parasrampuria and Divyanshi Jain reached the last four. Parasrampuria edged Chinese opponent Qingyuan Zheng 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, while Jain saw off Malaysia's Nurul Nazir 13-11, 11-8, 11-6.
Boys' U-13 Delivers Double Indian Semifinalists
In the boys' U-13 category, both Abhyuday Arora and Amarya Bajaj are through to the semifinals. Arora survived a tough five-game battle against Pakistan's Md Mustafa Khan — 14-16, 11-9, 9-11, 11-3, 11-4 — while Bajaj beat compatriot Dhairya Gogia 11-9, 11-9, 11-4 in an all-Indian quarterfinal.
Where India Fell Short
Not all Indians progressed. In the boys' U-15 draw, second seed Shresht Iyer was beaten by Pakistan's Md Sohail Adnan 11-6, 6-11, 11-5, 11-6, and Dhruv Bopana fell to Malaysia's Vidhurran Ruthiran in five games. Aadya Budhia exited the girls' U-15 draw, and Unnati Tripathi lost her girls' U-19 quarterfinal to Malaysia's Whitney Wilson. With the semifinals yet to be played, India's final medal tally could rise beyond eight.
Point of View
With the Indian Squash Academy's fingerprints visible across multiple semifinalists. The all-Indian U-17 boys' semifinal is particularly telling: it means a medal is already secured regardless of outcome, but it also raises a harder question about whether India is producing enough depth to challenge the top Asian seeds rather than simply meeting each other in the penultimate round. The exits of seeded players like Shresht Iyer and Dhruv Bopana in U-15 are a reminder that the pipeline, while impressive, still has gaps at certain age groups. The real test of this generation will come when these juniors transition to the senior Asian circuit.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many medals has India guaranteed at the 2025 Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships?
India have guaranteed at least eight medals after eight players reached the semifinals across various age categories on 22 May 2025 in Panzhihua, China. The final tally could rise depending on semifinal results.
Who are the Indian semifinalists at the 33rd Asian Junior Squash Championships?
The Indian semifinalists are Shiven Agarwal and Lokesh Subramani (boys' U-17), Aryaveer Dewan (boys' U-19), Anika Dubey (girls' U-17), Abhyuday Arora and Amarya Bajaj (boys' U-13), and Shanaya Parasrampuria and Divyanshi Jain (girls' U-13).
What is the significance of the boys' U-17 semifinal at the Asian Junior Squash 2025?
The boys' U-17 semifinal is an all-Indian contest between Shiven Agarwal and Lokesh Subramani, both trained at the Indian Squash Academy. This guarantees India at least a silver medal in that category.
How did Aryaveer Dewan perform at the 2025 Asian Junior Squash Championships?
Aryaveer Dewan, who won the boys' U-17 title at the previous edition, moved up to the U-19 category and reached the semifinals by defeating compatriot Yusha Nafees 11-9, 12-10, 3-11, 11-9 in the quarterfinals.
Where are the 33rd Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships being held?
The 33rd Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships are being held in Panzhihua, China. India's semifinal appearances on 22 May 2025 secured the country at least eight medals across boys' and girls' age categories.
