Rower Tendenthoi Devi eyes Asian Games medal, credits teamwork and IIS support
Synopsis
Tendenthoi Devi Haobijam is no longer the nervous debutante of Asian Games 2023. With a year of shared training, overseas camp exposure in Australia and Europe, and a coach she has admired since childhood, the 23-year-old Manipuri rower heads into Aichi-Nagoya as part of a tight-knit Women's Coxless Four that her sister believes can medal.
Key Takeaways
Tendenthoi Devi Haobijam , 23, will compete in the Women's Coxless Four at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games beginning Saturday, 20 September 2026 .
Her crewmates are Poonam , Aleena Anto , and Gurbani Kaur ; the squad has trained together for over a year.
The team completed training camps in Australia and Europe , competing in two or three international regattas ahead of the Asiad.
The Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) provided holistic support covering nutrition, physiology, and psychology.
Coach Lakshmi , a former Asian Games rower, has been a key mentor and motivational figure.
Tendenthoi Devi made her international debut at the Asian Games 2023 , where she described herself as under-confident as a junior competitor.
Indian rower Tendenthoi Devi Haobijam has credited sustained teamwork and months of joint training as the bedrock of her confidence ahead of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, which begins from Saturday, 20 September 2026. The 23-year-old from Manipur, who will compete in the Women's Coxless Four, says the bond forged with her crewmates over the past year has transformed her outlook going into the continental showpiece.
From Debutante to Confident Competitor
Tendenthoi Devi made her international debut at the Asian Games 2023, where she acknowledged being unsure of herself as a relatively junior competitor. 'My first international competition was the Asian Games in 2023. My performance was good, but I wasn't very confident because I was still a junior at that time. I had to learn a lot from the seniors and take their advice,' she said.
Two years on, she carries a markedly different bearing. Consistent exposure to high-level competition and close integration with her crew — Poonam, Aleena Anto, and Gurbani Kaur — has replaced that early uncertainty with a collective self-assurance the team is banking on in Aichi-Nagoya.
Training Camps in Australia and Europe
A key factor in the quartet's preparation was overseas exposure. The team undertook training camps in Australia and across Europe, and competed in two or three international regattas in Europe. 'We had the chance to compete in two or three competitions there, and we learnt a lot — how to manage a competition, how to handle pressure, how to perform with confidence and how to perform together as a crew,' Tendenthoi Devi said.
This kind of international racing mileage — often undervalued in pre-Games coverage — is precisely what separates sides that arrive prepared from those that acclimatise mid-competition. The Women's Coxless Four is a technically demanding event where synchrony between rowers is as critical as individual power output.
Role of the Inspire Institute of Sport
Tendenthoi Devi also pointed to the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) as a transformative environment. 'There have been a lot of changes after coming to IIS. Earlier, we used to compete with each other, but after coming here, we feel more confident and feel that we can do much more,' she said, noting that IIS staff oversee nutrition, physiology, and psychology — areas that are often afterthoughts in grassroots Indian sport.
She specifically highlighted the influence of coach Lakshmi, a former Asian Games rower herself whom Tendenthoi Devi had admired since around 2007–08. 'She had competed at the Asian Games, and I was inspired by her even before I started rowing. Now, when I train with her, she takes care of us and motivates us whenever we feel less confident,' the rower said.
Family's Belief Fuels the Drive
Behind the structured support of IIS lies a quieter but equally powerful driver: family. Tendenthoi Devi's parents, she said, backed her unconditionally from the moment she took up rowing — including during long stretches away from home. Her sister, notably, has told her she believes a medal at the Asian Games is within reach.
'My parents always told me that I could go far if I practised hard and stayed disciplined. My sister believes that I can win a medal at the Asian Games,' she said.
What to Watch in Aichi-Nagoya
India's Women's Coxless Four will be one of several rowing events at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The combination of overseas competitive exposure, centralised IIS training, and a settled crew dynamic makes this Indian boat one to follow. Whether the blend of experience and cohesion translates into a podium finish will be answered on the water in the days ahead.
Point of View
Overseas race exposure, and psychological support aligned together. The IIS model, often discussed in athletics and boxing circles, is quietly producing results in lesser-covered disciplines like rowing. The real question ahead of Aichi-Nagoya is whether India's Coxless Four has had enough elite-field racing to close the gap on the dominant East Asian crews. Crew familiarity is necessary but not sufficient; the overseas competition exposure will matter more than the camps themselves.
NationPress
15 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Tendenthoi Devi Haobijam?
Tendenthoi Devi Haobijam is a 23-year-old Indian rower from Manipur who made her international debut at the Asian Games 2023. She competes in the Women's Coxless Four and trains at the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS).
Which event will Tendenthoi Devi compete in at the Asian Games 2026?
She will compete in the Women's Coxless Four at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, alongside crewmates Poonam, Aleena Anto, and Gurbani Kaur. The Games begin from Saturday, 20 September 2026.
How has Tendenthoi Devi prepared for the Asian Games?
The Indian Women's Coxless Four trained together for over a year under the Inspire Institute of Sport's programme, which covers nutrition, physiology, and psychology. They also completed training camps in Australia and Europe and competed in two or three international regattas in Europe.
What role has the Inspire Institute of Sport played in her development?
The Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) provided Tendenthoi Devi with holistic athlete support including nutrition management, physiological training, and psychological coaching. She credited IIS with shifting the team's culture from internal competition to collective confidence.
How does the Asian Games 2026 differ from her 2023 debut?
At the Asian Games 2023, Tendenthoi Devi was a junior competitor who described herself as under-confident and reliant on senior guidance. Heading into Aichi-Nagoya, she has the benefit of a year of shared crew training, overseas competitive experience, and structured support — factors she says have significantly raised the team's collective confidence.
