India's U-17 wrestling squad for Baku World Championships announced by WFI
Synopsis
India's women wrestlers have won the U-17 World Championship team title in back-to-back editions — Amman 2024 and Athens 2025. Now the WFI has named a 30-category squad for Baku 2026, with Haryana dominating women's and freestyle trials and Maharashtra sweeping Greco-Roman. A third straight title would be unprecedented.
Key Takeaways
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) announced India's full U-17 World Wrestling Championships squad on 15 June 2026 .
The championships are scheduled in Baku, Azerbaijan , from 27 July to 2 August 2026 .
Selection trials were held in Sonipat and Lucknow across Women's Wrestling, Men's Freestyle, and Greco-Roman disciplines.
Haryana dominated the Women's Wrestling trials, winning 6 of 10 weight categories; Maharashtra swept 5 of 10 Greco-Roman spots.
India's women's team won the overall team title in Amman 2024 (185 points) and defended it in Athens 2025 , with the 2026 squad targeting a historic third consecutive title .
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Monday, 15 June 2026, named its complete squad for the U-17 World Wrestling Championships to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 27 July to 2 August. The final roster was locked in after highly competitive national selection trials conducted across all three disciplines in Sonipat and Lucknow.
Squad Selection Process
The trials spanned all three wrestling disciplines — Women's Wrestling, Men's Freestyle, and Greco-Roman — and drew participation from athletes across multiple state units. WFI President Sanjay Kumar Singh said the process was designed to surface the country's finest junior talent through a rigorous competitive format.
'These trials have showcased the phenomenal depth of our junior wrestling ecosystem. By ensuring a strictly fair and fiercely competitive selection process, we have identified the absolute best young talent in the country. I am confident this battle-ready squad will deliver outstanding results and bring glory to India in Baku,' Singh said.
Women's Wrestling: Haryana Dominate Trials
The Women's Wrestling trials saw Haryana grapplers claim first place in six out of ten weight categories, led by standout performances from Diksha (43 kg) and Garima (73 kg). Delhi secured two berths through Kamna Babal (49 kg) and Akshara (53 kg), while Maharashtra's Rohini Khanu Devba (36–40 kg) and Rajasthan's Sandhya (46 kg) rounded out the category winners.
Men's Freestyle and Greco-Roman Highlights
In Men's Freestyle, Haryana again led the charge with Satinder (60 kg) and Arush Rana (110 kg) topping their respective divisions. Uttar Pradesh secured two weight classes through Aaryan (48 kg) and Deepanshu Khokhar (80 kg), while individual athletes from Maharashtra, Delhi, and SSCB each won one category.
The Greco-Roman discipline was dominated by Maharashtra, whose grapplers claimed five of the ten top spots, including Sachin Shirole (45 kg) and Rajvardhan Patil (92 kg). Uttar Pradesh added two more berths, while athletes from Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana each secured one top finish to complete the national roster.
India's Record at U-17 World Championships
India arrives in Baku on the back of back-to-back dominant campaigns. In 2024, the women's team created history in Amman by claiming their first-ever overall team title with 185 points, winning five golds, one silver, and two bronzes. They successfully defended that title in Athens the following year, anchoring a national haul of nine medals across disciplines — four golds, four silvers, and one bronze.
The 2026 squad now targets a historic third consecutive overall team title, which would be an unprecedented achievement in the tournament's history.
Full Trial Standings — U-17 World Championships 2026
Women's Wrestling (WW)
36–40 kg: 1st Rohini Khanu Devba (MAH) | 2nd Vanshika (HAR)
43 kg: 1st Diksha (HAR)
46 kg: 1st Sandhya (RAJ) | 2nd Tanishka (HAR)
49 kg: 1st Kamna Babal (DEL)
53 kg: 1st Akshara (DEL) | 2nd Riya Nagar (UP)
57 kg: 1st Nikita Sehrawat (HAR) | 2nd Manya Rajput (DEL)
61 kg: 1st Avanshika (HAR) | 2nd Srushti (MAH)
65 kg: 1st Antra (HAR) | 2nd Lisa (HAR)
69 kg: 1st Taniya (HAR) | 2nd Nishu (HAR)
73 kg: 1st Garima (HAR)
Men's Freestyle (FS)
45 kg: 1st Hanumant Rajendra (MAH) | 2nd Sahil (HAR)
48 kg: 1st Aaryan (UP) | 2nd Udit (HAR)
51 kg: 1st Govind (DEL) | 2nd Mukesh Yadav (UP)
55 kg: 1st Prathmesh (SSCB) | 2nd Dhanraj (SSCB)
60 kg: 1st Satinder (HAR) | 2nd Jatin Sharma (HAR)
65 kg: 1st Krishan (HAR) | 2nd Pavan Dhagude (MAH)
71 kg: 1st Anuj (HAR) | 2nd Sachin (HAR)
80 kg: 1st Deepanshu Khokhar (UP) | 2nd Lakshay Thakran (DEL)
92 kg: 1st Saksham (HAR) | 2nd Abhimanyu (HAR)
110 kg: 1st Arush Rana (HAR) | 2nd Prince Kaliraman (DEL)
Greco-Roman (GR)
45 kg: 1st Sachin Shirole (MAH) | 2nd Keshav (HAR)
48 kg: 1st Avinash Chetak (MAH) | 2nd Arjun (HAR)
51 kg: 1st Dhiraj Dhapale (MAH) | 2nd Yash Kamnna (MAH)
55 kg: 1st Hariom (UP) | 2nd Yogesh (HAR)
60 kg: 1st Darpan Chaudhari (MAH) | 2nd Dilawar Singh (HAR)
65 kg: 1st Kunal Dagar (DEL) | 2nd Surya (RAJ)
71 kg: 1st Pranam Singh (PUB) | 2nd Sameer (HAR)
80 kg: 1st Suraj Sharma (UP) | 2nd Hitesh (HAR)
92 kg: 1st Rajvardhan Patil (MAH) | 2nd Anuj Yadav (UP)
110 kg: 1st Harsh Dalal (HAR) | 2nd Rudra Niman (MAH)
With trials complete, the squad is set to depart for Baku ahead of the 27 July start date, carrying the weight of two consecutive team titles and the ambition of a third.
Point of View
Not a one-off — but the deeper story is the Haryana-Maharashtra duopoly that now defines junior Indian wrestling. Haryana's freestyle dominance is well-documented, yet Maharashtra's five-category sweep of the Greco-Roman trials signals a meaningful geographic diversification of the talent pipeline. The real question heading into Baku is whether the men's disciplines can contribute enough medals to sustain an overall team title, something the Athens campaign — nine medals total — came closer to achieving than Amman. A third consecutive title would place India in elite company globally, but the WFI will need to ensure that trial transparency and athlete welfare standards keep pace with competitive ambition.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the U-17 World Wrestling Championships 2026?
The U-17 World Wrestling Championships 2026 will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 27 July to 2 August 2026.
How was India's U-17 wrestling squad selected for Baku 2026?
The squad was finalised through national selection trials conducted in Sonipat and Lucknow across all three disciplines — Women's Wrestling, Men's Freestyle, and Greco-Roman. WFI President Sanjay Kumar Singh described the process as 'strictly fair and fiercely competitive.'
Which state dominated the U-17 wrestling trials?
Haryana dominated the Women's Wrestling trials, winning first place in 6 of 10 weight categories. Maharashtra led the Greco-Roman discipline with five category wins, while Haryana and Uttar Pradesh were prominent in Men's Freestyle as well.
What is India's track record at the U-17 World Wrestling Championships?
India's women's team won the overall team title in Amman in 2024 with 185 points — five golds, one silver, two bronzes — and successfully defended it in Athens in 2025, contributing to a nine-medal national haul. The 2026 squad targets a third straight title.
Who are some key athletes in India's U-17 squad for Baku 2026?
Notable selections include Diksha (43 kg, Women's Wrestling), Garima (73 kg, Women's Wrestling), Satinder (60 kg, Men's Freestyle), Arush Rana (110 kg, Men's Freestyle), Sachin Shirole (45 kg, Greco-Roman), and Rajvardhan Patil (92 kg, Greco-Roman).
