President Murmu hails Satnam-Salman's rowing bronze, Roshibina's historic Wushu silver at Asian Games 2026
Synopsis
Roshibina Devi Naorem entered Asian Games history by becoming the first Indian Wushu athlete to medal at three consecutive editions — and she almost wasn’t there, having been reinstated only after a rival’s injury. Her silver, paired with the Satnam-Salman rowing bronze, took India to 14 medals at the Asian Games 2026.
Key Takeaways
Satnam Singh and Salman Khan won bronze in the men’s double sculls at the Asian Games 2026 , clocking 6:13.25 .
Roshibina Devi Naorem claimed silver in the women’s 60kg Sanda Wushu event, losing 0-2 to China’s Xiaoyu Zhang in the final.
Roshibina’s silver is her third consecutive Asian Games medal — a historic milestone for Indian Wushu.
President Droupadi Murmu congratulated all three athletes in posts on X on 24 September 2026 .
India’s total Asian Games 2026 tally stands at 14 medals (1 gold, 6 silver, 7 bronze) following Thursday’s results.
India’s overall Wushu tally at the Asian Games rose to 11 medals — 1 gold , 2 silver , 8 bronze .
President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday, 24 September 2026 congratulated Indian athletes Satnam Singh, Salman Khan, and Roshibina Devi Naorem for their medal-winning performances at the Asian Games 2026, as India's overall tally climbed to 14 medals — comprising one gold, six silver, and seven bronze.
Satnam and Salman Clinch Rowing Bronze
The Indian pair of Satnam Singh and Salman Khan claimed the bronze medal in the men's double sculls event, clocking a time of 6:13.25 in the final. China's Xudi Yi and Yide Nie took gold in 6:09.77, while Uzbekistan's Pavel Sorin and Mekhrojbek Mamatkulov secured silver in 6:10.49.
The Indian duo were in third position at the halfway mark after 1,000 metres, briefly moved into second place with 500 metres remaining, but were overtaken in the final stretch to ultimately finish third. For Satnam Singh, the bronze was his second Asian Games medal — he had previously won bronze as part of India's men's quadruple sculls crew at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
President Murmu, in a post on X, wrote: “Hearty congratulations to Satnam Singh and Salman Khan on winning the Bronze Medal in the Men’s Double Sculls event at the Asian Games 2026. Your performance reflects the strength of teamwork, endurance and commitment that rowing demands. May you both continue to achieve greater heights.”
Roshibina's Third Consecutive Asian Games Medal
Roshibina Devi Naorem added to India’s tally with a silver medal in the women’s 60kg Sanda event in Wushu, making her the first Indian Wushu athlete to win medals at three consecutive Asian Games. In her campaign, she defeated Macao’s Chu Man Sin 5-0 in the quarterfinals and edged out Indonesia’s Thania Kusumaningtyas 2-0 in the semifinals, before losing 0-2 to China’s Xiaoyu Zhang in the gold-medal bout.
President Murmu hailed the achievement, writing: “Winning three medals at three consecutive Asian Games is a remarkable achievement and historic milestone for Indian wushu. May your inspiring journey continue with many more proud moments.”
Roshibina had won bronze at the 2018 Jakarta Games before upgrading to silver at the 2023 Hangzhou Games. Her latest silver took India’s overall Wushu medal tally at the Asian Games to 11 — comprising one gold, two silver, and eight bronze.
A Return from the Brink for Roshibina
Roshibina’s road to the Asian Games 2026 was not straightforward. She had initially missed out on India’s seven-member Wushu squad after losing the selection trials to Divyanshi Choudhary. She was reinstated only after Divyanshi was ruled out due to injury — making her silver all the more remarkable. The Manipur-born athlete has been recognised with the Arjuna Award and the International Wushu Federation’s Female Wushu Athlete of the Year (Sanda) honour.
India’s Medal Tally After Thursday
Following the rowing and Wushu results, India’s total medal count at the Asian Games 2026 stood at 14 — one gold, six silver, and seven bronze. The performances underline a growing depth in Indian sport beyond the traditional medal-winning disciplines, with both rowing and Wushu delivering results on the same day.
With several events still to conclude, India’s delegation will look to build further on Thursday’s gains in the days ahead.
Point of View
Got back in through a stroke of fortune, and then delivered a historic third-consecutive Asian Games medal. It is a reminder that India’s Wushu pipeline — now at 11 Asian Games medals — deserves structural support, not just presidential tweets after the fact. The rowing bronze, meanwhile, signals quiet but real progress in a discipline that rarely commands headlines. If India is serious about diversifying its medal base beyond combat sports and track, rowing and similar endurance disciplines need consistent funding cycles, not just post-win congratulations.
NationPress
24 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What medals did India win in rowing and Wushu at the Asian Games 2026?
India won a bronze medal in the men’s double sculls rowing event through Satnam Singh and Salman Khan, and a silver medal in the women’s 60kg Sanda Wushu event through Roshibina Devi Naorem at the Asian Games 2026 on 24 September.
Why is Roshibina Devi’s silver at Asian Games 2026 considered historic?
Roshibina Devi became the first Indian Wushu athlete to win medals at three consecutive Asian Games — bronze at Jakarta 2018, silver at Hangzhou 2023, and silver again in 2026. Her achievement took India’s all-time Wushu tally at the Asian Games to 11 medals.
How did Satnam Singh and Salman Khan perform in the men’s double sculls final?
The Indian pair clocked 6:13.25 to finish third. They moved briefly into second place with 500 metres to go but were overtaken in the closing stages. China won gold in 6:09.77 and Uzbekistan took silver in 6:10.49.
How did Roshibina Devi qualify for the Asian Games 2026 squad?
Roshibina initially missed India’s seven-member Wushu squad after losing the selection trials to Divyanshi Choudhary. She was reinstated after Divyanshi was ruled out due to injury, and went on to win silver at the Games.
What is India’s total medal tally at the Asian Games 2026 after 24 September?
India’s total medal count stood at 14 — comprising one gold, six silver, and seven bronze — following the rowing and Wushu results on Thursday, 24 September 2026.
