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The Ministry had originally approved 492 athletes in 35 disciplines for the Games but as was expected, a few names have been added.
Asian Games start from September 17.
The Sports Ministry’s have given its final approval for the Indian contingent to take part in the 2026 Asian Games. As many as 503 athletes are set to compete across 36 disciplines in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19.
The Ministry has sanctioned 246 coaches and team officials to accompany the athletes meaning a 768-member contingent will represent India at the 20th Asian Games.
The athlete count has risen from the earlier approved figure of 492, with the athletics squad accounting for most of the additions. Its strength has increased from 73 to 79. Four surfers have also been added to the delegation, taking India’s participation to 36 disciplines.
The overall contingent includes 19 staff members, among them chef de mission Sahdev Yadav and chief medical officer Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala.
Athletics will have the biggest support group, with 31 members approved, including 20 coaches under national coach P Radhakrishnan.
Although javelin star Neeraj Chopra will miss the Games because of injury, his coach Jai Chaudhary and physiotherapist Ishaan Marwaha are part of the support staff. James Hillier, Athletics Director and Head Coach of the Reliance Foundation and a close associate of sprinter Gurindervir Singh, is also included.
Cricket has been allocated a 20-member support team for the men’s and women’s squads. VVS Laxman will oversee the men’s team, while Amol Muzumdar will be with the women’s side. The arrangement includes the full support setup that normally travels with the teams, with cricket operations officer Maroof Fajandar designated as Team Leader. Both teams will be targeting a second consecutive Asian Games gold.
The 40-member hockey contingent, comprising the men’s and women’s teams, has been assigned 14 support staff. The group includes six coaches and three physiotherapists.
Shooting, led by double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, will have 17 support staff, with 11 coaches in the group. Among them are High Performance Director Pierre Beauchamp, trap coach Peter Wilson and pistol specialist Samaresh Jung.
The table tennis coaching unit includes Soumyadeep Roy, who was removed after the Tokyo Olympics following allegations of match-fixing levelled against him by top player Manika Batra.
Weightlifting will once again be led by national coach Vijay Kumar, who will guide the contingent headed by Mirabai Chanu.
The 11-member boxing squad will travel with eight support staff. The group includes women’s High Performance Director Santiago Nieva and men’s chief coach C A Kuttappa.
Badminton’s 20-member squad will feature national coach Pullela Gopichand as well as foreign coaches Irwansyah of Indonesia and Tan Kim Her of Malaysia.
With PTI Inputs
Quick Answers
Ask News18Neeraj Chopra’s absence is considered a major setback for India’s athletics contingent at the Asian Games. His withdrawal means India has lost a guaranteed gold medal opportunity.
Ask News18About the Author
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More
September 03, 2026, 12:09 IST
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