India win 4 medals at 5th Asia Cup Bridge Championships in Panaji
Synopsis
India's India B Seniors team nearly pulled off the ultimate upset at the 5th Asia Cup Bridge Championships — beating Japan by a single IMP (126–125) before falling to Australia in the gold medal final. A four-medal finish in Panaji, plus gold and bronze in the Friendship Pairs, marks one of Indian bridge's strongest continental showings in recent memory.
Key Takeaways
India concluded the 5th Asia Cup Bridge Championships in Panaji on 27 June with 3 silver and 1 bronze medals.
The India B Seniors team beat Japan 126–125 (1 IMP) in the semifinal — one of the tournament's closest results — before losing the final to Australia .
Savleen Thadani & Sadhana Gupta (Women's Pairs) and Subir Majumder & Sujit Kumar Bhattacharjee (Seniors Pairs) each won silver in the Matchpoint Finals.
The India A team claimed bronze in the Men's Team Championship.
Arun Bapat & Ajay Khare won gold in the HCL Friendship Pairs with 616.64 points ; Kamna Sharma & Abhijit Pal took bronze with 586.82 points .
The event was recognised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS) and supported by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) .
India signed off from the 5th Asia Cup Bridge Championships in Panaji on Saturday, 27 June with a four-medal haul — three silver and one bronze — across the Team and Matchpoint Finals, reinforcing the host nation's standing among Asia's elite bridge-playing countries.
India B Seniors: The Standout Campaign
The most compelling performance of India's campaign came from the India B Seniors team, which topped the league stage and then produced a tournament-defining moment in the semifinals — a breathtaking 126–125 (1 IMP) victory over Japan. That razor-thin margin sent them into the Gold Medal Final against Australia, where they ultimately settled for Silver in an event recognised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS) and supported by the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
The squad — comprising Sukamal Das, Hemant Jalan, Jitendra Solani, Anil Padhye, Rajesh Dalal, and Raju Tolani, guided by Coach and NPC Anal Shah — remained in contention for the gold until the closing stages of the final.
Other Medal Wins Across Disciplines
India's A team claimed a bronze in the Men's Team Championship, adding further depth to the country's podium tally. In the Matchpoint Finals, Savleen Thadani and Sadhana Gupta secured silver in the Women's Pairs, while Subir Majumder and Sujit Kumar Bhattacharjee won silver in the Seniors Pairs.
Gold Medals: Asia's Top Bridge Nations Dominate
The Team Championship gold medals were distributed among the continent's strongest sides. Australia won the Seniors title, Hong Kong China claimed the Men's crown, Indonesia took the Women's gold, and China secured the Mixed Teams title. In the Matchpoint Finals, Wei Ho and Sun Wei Lee (Chinese Taipei) won the Men's event, Barbara Travis and Lori Smith (Australia) triumphed in the Women's, Suk King Chan and Kon Wong (Hong Kong China) claimed the Mixed title, and Younghong Cheng and Wei Wei Tsao (Chinese Taipei) captured the Seniors crown.
India Shines in HCL Friendship Pairs
Beyond the main championships, India excelled in the HCL Friendship Pairs — an additional event held alongside the main competition. Arun Bapat and Ajay Khare claimed gold, finishing first with 616.64 points, while Kamna Sharma and Abhijit Pal secured bronze with 586.82 points.
India's Broader Campaign in Perspective
Across official and additional events, India's haul included three silver medals, one bronze, one gold, and one bronze in the Friendship Pairs — a collective performance that signals growing depth in Indian bridge. The Awards Night in Panaji brought down the curtain on a week of high-level competition, and with a young crop of pairs alongside seasoned seniors, India's bridge programme appears well-placed heading into future Asian and world-level events.
Point of View
But the headline number slightly flatters the picture — the gold that mattered most, the Seniors Team title, went to Australia after a final India were competitive in but could not convert. The 1-IMP semifinal win over Japan is the kind of result that builds programme confidence, yet Indian bridge still lacks the consistent gold-medal finishing that would mark a genuine continental superpower. The MYAS and SAI recognition is significant: institutional backing at this level is what separates programmes that peak occasionally from those that deliver across cycles. The real test will be whether this Panaji performance translates into stronger preparation pipelines for the World Bridge Games.
NationPress
28 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many medals did India win at the 5th Asia Cup Bridge Championships?
India won four medals in total — three silver and one bronze — across the Team and Matchpoint Finals. In addition, India claimed gold and bronze in the HCL Friendship Pairs event held alongside the main championships.
How did the India B Seniors team perform at the Asia Cup Bridge Championships?
The India B Seniors topped the league stage and won a dramatic 126–125 (1 IMP) semifinal against Japan before losing the Gold Medal Final to Australia, finishing with silver. The squad was coached by Anal Shah and comprised Sukamal Das, Hemant Jalan, Jitendra Solani, Anil Padhye, Rajesh Dalal, and Raju Tolani.
Who won gold medals in the Asia Cup Bridge Championships 2025 Team events?
Australia won the Seniors Team gold, Hong Kong China claimed the Men's Team title, Indonesia won the Women's Team event, and China secured the Mixed Teams crown.
Which Indian pairs won medals in the Matchpoint Finals?
Savleen Thadani and Sadhana Gupta won silver in the Women's Pairs, while Subir Majumder and Sujit Kumar Bhattacharjee won silver in the Seniors Pairs. The India A team also took bronze in the Men's Team Championship.
What is the HCL Friendship Pairs and how did India do?
The HCL Friendship Pairs is an additional event held alongside the Asia Cup Bridge Championships. India's Arun Bapat and Ajay Khare won gold with 616.64 points, while Kamna Sharma and Abhijit Pal claimed bronze with 586.82 points.
