SAI sends 14-member judo squad to Japan for Asian Games, World C'ships prep
Synopsis
India's senior judo squad is training at Tsukuba University in Japan — the very country hosting the 2026 Asian Games — as SAI backs a 14-member delegation through the ANSF scheme. With three Asian Games competitors in the camp and 10 athletes bound for the Baku World Championships days later, this is India's highest-stakes judo preparation block in years.
Key Takeaways
SAI is facilitating a training camp for India's senior judo team at Tsukuba University, Japan , running until 2 October 2026 .
A 14-member delegation — 11 judokas (1 male, 10 female) and 3 coaches — is participating in the International Training (Pre-Games) programme.
Asmita Dey , Yamini Mourya , and Takhellambam Inunganbi are confirmed in the Asian Games team, competing on 30 September and 1 October at the Aichi International Arena .
10 Indian judokas will also compete at the World Judo Championships in Baku from 4–11 October 2026 .
The camp is funded under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports' ANSF scheme , coordinated by the Judo Federation of India .
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) is facilitating an overseas training camp for India's senior judo team at Tsukuba University in Japan, as the squad gears up for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya and the World Judo Championships in Baku. The programme, running until 2 October 2026, represents a targeted final-phase preparation block at the highest level of global judo training.
Who Is in the Delegation
A 14-member Indian delegation is currently participating in the International Training (Pre-Games) programme at Tsukuba University. The group comprises 11 judokas — one male and 10 female athletes — accompanied by three coaches.
Among the men, Harsh Singh (-60kg) is the sole representative. The women's contingent includes Commonwealth Games 2026 gold medalist Asmita Dey (-48kg), Shraddha K Chopade (-52kg), L Nungshithoi Chanu (-52kg), Yamini Mourya (-57kg), Linthoi Chanambam (-63kg), Unnati Sharma (-63kg), Himanshi Tokas (-63kg), Takhelambam Inunganbi (-70kg), KH Taibanganbi (-70kg), and Ishroop Narang (-78kg). The coaching staff consists of Jiwan Kumar Sharma, Birender Singh, and Rajwinder Kaur.
Asian Games Contenders in the Camp
Three of the 11 judokas training in Japan are confirmed members of India's Asian Games team. Asmita Dey (Women's -48kg) is scheduled to compete on 30 September, while Yamini Mourya (Women's -57kg) and Takhellambam Inunganbi (Women's -70kg) are set to take the mat on 1 October at the Aichi International Arena (IG Arena) in Nagoya.
For these athletes, training on Japanese soil in the final days before competition offers a chance to acclimatise to the host country's conditions while maintaining peak competitive readiness.
Baku World Championships on the Horizon
The Japan camp also feeds into preparations for the World Judo Championships, scheduled in Baku from 4 to 11 October 2026 — immediately following the Asian Games. A total of 10 judo players — one male and nine female — are set to represent India in the Baku tournament. The back-to-back nature of the two events underscores the importance of the current training bloc.
Funding and Coordination
The sanction for the overseas camp has been granted under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports' Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSF) scheme. The Judo Federation of India is responsible for coordinating the foreign exposure programme. This forms part of SAI's broader push to provide Indian athletes competing at the Aichi-Nagoya Games with international-level preparation and acclimatisation opportunities.
With the Asian Games and World Championships converging within a fortnight, how the squad translates this Japan experience into podium results will be closely watched.
Point of View
And Tsukuba University is one of the world's premier judo institutions. What stands out, however, is the gender composition: ten of eleven athletes are women, reflecting India's recent medal productivity in women's judo but raising questions about the depth of the men's programme. The back-to-back scheduling of the Asian Games and the Baku World Championships within a fortnight is gruelling, and how SAI manages athlete load management across those two events will be as important as the training input in Japan.
NationPress
17 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is SAI sending India's judo team to Japan for training?
SAI is facilitating the Japan camp at Tsukuba University to give India's senior judokas high-level international preparation and host-country acclimatisation ahead of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya and the World Judo Championships in Baku. The programme runs until 2 October 2026.
Who are the Indian judokas training at Tsukuba University?
The 11-member judo contingent includes Harsh Singh (-60kg) among the men and, in the women's category, Asmita Dey, Shraddha K Chopade, L Nungshithoi Chanu, Yamini Mourya, Linthoi Chanambam, Unnati Sharma, Himanshi Tokas, Takhelambam Inunganbi, KH Taibanganbi, and Ishroop Narang.
Which Indian judokas will compete at the 2026 Asian Games?
Three judokas from the Japan camp are confirmed in the Asian Games team: Asmita Dey (Women's -48kg) on 30 September, and Yamini Mourya (Women's -57kg) and Takhellambam Inunganbi (Women's -70kg) on 1 October at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya.
When and where are the 2026 World Judo Championships?
The World Judo Championships are scheduled in Baku from 4 to 11 October 2026. India will field 10 judokas — one male and nine female — at the tournament, which follows immediately after the Asian Games.
How is India's judo training camp in Japan being funded?
The overseas camp has been sanctioned under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports' Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSF) scheme, with the Judo Federation of India coordinating the programme.
