India wins 5 of 6 golds at inaugural World Yogasana Championships 2026
Synopsis
India seized five of the first six gold medals at the inaugural World Yogasana Championships 2026 in Ahmedabad, with Bengal's Abhay Burman and Ritu Mondal firing the opening salvo. With a 122-member squad and home-crowd advantage, India is making a bold case for Yogasana's global — and potentially Olympic — future.
Key Takeaways
India won 5 of the first 6 gold medals at the inaugural World Yogasana Championships 2026 in Ahmedabad on 5 June 2026 .
Abhay Burman (West Bengal) claimed India's first gold with 63.42 points in the Traditional Yogasana Senior Male category.
Ritu Mondal (West Bengal, age 20) won the Senior Female gold with 64.33 points after eight years of training.
Roshan Thapa posted the day's top score of 65.67 points to win the Senior B Male gold.
Singapore's Nathaniel Tan Leong An won the only gold that eluded India, in the Senior A Male category with 55.37 points .
The championships are backed by six government bodies and are positioned as a step toward Olympic recognition for Yogasana.
India delivered a dominant opening-day performance at the inaugural World Yogasana Championships 2026, claiming five of the first six gold medals on offer at the Eka Arena in Ahmedabad on 5 June 2026. The result underlined the host nation's commanding grip on the sport's biggest-ever global showcase, with a 122-member Indian contingent competing across six age categories.
Bengal duo sets the tone
Abhay Burman of West Bengal struck the first gold of the championships in the Traditional Yogasana Senior Male category, finishing with 63.42 points — well clear of silver medallist Arkan Riyanto of Indonesia (57.23) and bronze medallist Alan of Uzbekistan (53.21). Reflecting on the win, Burman said, 'Winning the first gold medal of the inaugural World Yogasana Championships for India is a moment I will cherish forever. Competing at home in front of such passionate supporters gave me immense confidence, and I am proud to contribute to India's strong start in this historic event.'
West Bengal's Ritu Mondal followed immediately in the Senior Female category, posting 64.33 points to claim gold ahead of Aizhan Kuanyshbayeva of Kazakhstan (58.97) and Lam Nga Man of Hong Kong (56.98). The 20-year-old Mondal, who began training at the age of 12, described the win as 'a dream come true' after eight years of preparation.
India's only slip — and swift recovery
The sole category that escaped India's grasp was the Senior A Male event, where Singapore's Nathaniel Tan Leong An topped the podium with 55.37 points, narrowly ahead of Tanzania's Karimu Swafi (54.99). India's Sumir Gnawali salvaged a bronze with 54.00 points. The hosts responded immediately: Ritu Thakur won the Senior A Female gold with 63.50 points, edging Argentina's Nabila Sol Barraza (62.04), while Kenya's Awuor Saulinha took bronze with 53.86 points.
Thapa and Deurkar complete the sweep
Roshan Thapa posted the day's highest score — 65.67 points — to win the Senior B Male category, with Bangladesh's Md Mamun Khan Babu (58.57) and Kyrgyzstan's Danil Rykov (53.55) finishing second and third. Jyoti Deurkar then sealed India's fifth gold in the Twisting Body Individual Senior B Female event with 46.14 points, ahead of Oman's Olimuthu Navamani (38.66) and Japan's Saori Kyuei (38.41).
Historic milestone and Olympic ambitions
The championship is backed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Ministry of Ayush, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Sports Authority of Gujarat, Gujarat Tourism, and the Gujarat Yogasana Sports Association. Organisers describe the event as a pivotal step in transforming Yogasana from an ancient Indian practice into a globally competitive discipline, with an eye on eventual Olympic recognition. India's performance on the opening day has set a high benchmark for the rest of the competition.
Point of View
Not a coincidence — India has been systematically building institutional infrastructure around Yogasana for years, and the choice of Ahmedabad as host is itself a political and cultural signal. What is less discussed is the competitive depth beyond India: Singapore, Tanzania, Argentina, and Kenya all placed on the podium, suggesting the sport has genuine global spread. The Olympic recognition push is the real subtext here; results like these give India a compelling case to present to the IOC, but the path from a government-backed inaugural championship to full Olympic status is long and politically complex.
NationPress
13 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the World Yogasana Championships 2026?
The World Yogasana Championships 2026 is the inaugural global competition for Yogasana, held at the Eka Arena in Ahmedabad, India. It marks the first time Yogasana has been contested at a world championship level, with athletes from multiple countries competing across six age categories.
How did India perform on day one of the championships?
India won five of the first six gold medals on offer on 5 June 2026. West Bengal's Abhay Burman and Ritu Mondal led the charge in the Traditional Yogasana categories, with Ritu Thakur, Roshan Thapa, and Jyoti Deurkar adding further golds.
Who is Ritu Mondal and why is her win significant?
Ritu Mondal is a 20-year-old Yogasana athlete from West Bengal who began training at the age of 12. Her gold medal in the Senior Female category, scored at 64.33 points, came after eight years of dedicated preparation and is the first of its kind at a World Yogasana Championship.
Which country prevented India from a clean sweep on day one?
Singapore's Nathaniel Tan Leong An won the Senior A Male category with 55.37 points, denying India a complete sweep. Tanzania's Karimu Swafi took silver, while India's Sumir Gnawali earned bronze.
What is the significance of the championships for Yogasana's future?
Organisers and supporting government bodies describe the event as a key milestone in advancing Yogasana's bid for Olympic recognition. The championships are backed by India's Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Ministry of Ayush, and the Sports Authority of India, reflecting institutional commitment to establishing Yogasana as a global competitive discipline.
