India’s rowing contingent scripted a landmark chapter in Hai Phong, Vietnam, delivering its best-ever performance at the Asian Rowing Championships. With a total of 10 medals (3 Gold, 5 Silver, 2 Bronze), the 2025 edition marked not just a statistical high but a powerful statement about the sport’s growing depth and structure in the country.
From Olympian Balraj Panwar’s dominance in the single sculls to a long-awaited women’s breakthrough, this was a campaign that showcased maturity, planning, and purpose hallmarks of a rowing system finally finding its rhythm on the continental stage.
The four-day championship (October 16–19) on the Gia Dam River course saw participation from 18 nations and nearly 700 athletes across 20 events. India’s final tally not only surpassed its previous best of six medals from 2021 (2 Gold, 4 Silver) but also doubled the medal count from the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023.
The tone was set early. On Day 1 of the finals (October 18), India captured two gold and two silver medals, establishing early dominance. A final-day flourish on October 19 added six more medals, confirming a record-breaking campaign and validating years of incremental investment by the Rowing Federation of India (RFI). What made this result more significant was the distribution medals came across both sculling and sweep categories, from solo efforts to the nine-member eights, highlighting both individual brilliance and crew synchronization.
Gold Standard: Power in the Water
Balraj Panwar’s Solo Statement
Leading the charge was Olympian Balraj Panwar, who reaffirmed his continental supremacy with gold in the Men’s Single Sculls (M1x), clocking 07:37.824. It was a statement of redemption and consistency. After representing India as its sole rower at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where he finished 23rd overall, Panwar’s return to the top of the Asian podium showed both resilience and evolution.
His victory over Iraq and Indonesia was decisive, reflecting improved pacing and race management. For India, Panwar’s continued success in the Olympic-class single scull is critical. It keeps alive the nation’s hopes for another Olympic berth in LA 2028 through the continental qualification route. Yet, the next challenge is clear bridging the 30-second gap that separates Asia’s best from world podium speed.
Team Redemption in Men’s Quadruple Sculls
The Men’s Quadruple Sculls (M4x) crew Kulwinder Singh, Navdeep Singh, Satnam Singh, and Jakar Khan produced one of India’s finest collective performances, winning gold in 06:04.162, over two seconds ahead of Uzbekistan. It was more than a victory it was payback. At the Hangzhou Asian Games, the same quartet had settled for bronze, edged out by the Uzbeks. This time, under the guidance of Navy coach Abhinav Bhatnagar, they reversed the result. The gold was proof of improved coordination, cleaner transitions, and a sharper final sprint.
For India, it was also validation of long-term consistency in the quad sculls one of its strongest events since the 2018 Asian Games triumph. The third gold came through Lakshay and Ajay Tyagi in the Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls (LM2x) one of India’s traditional strongholds. Their time of 06:40.75 secured a commanding victory over Uzbekistan and Iran. The pair’s composure from start to finish recalled the precision of Olympians Arjun Lal Jat and Arvind Singh, who had previously medaled in the same event. That the next generation is now carrying forward the lightweight legacy underscores the system’s continuity.
Notably, Lakshay also rowed in the Lightweight Men’s Quadruple Sculls (LM4x), adding silver a reminder of his versatility and the thin margins on which India’s medal machine now operates.
The Silver Edge: Depth and Lessons
While the golds defined excellence, the five silver medals revealed both promise and points of correction. The Women’s Pair That Made History Perhaps the most emotional result came from the Lightweight Women’s Coxless Pair (LW2-), where Gurbani Kaur and Diljot Kaur clocked 07:51.374 to finish second behind Vietnam. It ended a 20-year drought for Indian women at the Asian Rowing Championships, the last medal dating back to 2005.
The duo’s journey also illustrates how strategic funding can change outcomes. Their training was fully financed by JSW Sports for four months a rare instance of sustained private backing in Indian rowing. RFI President Balaji Maradappa acknowledged the impact, noting that “targeted investment has given Indian women the platform they long deserved.” Gurbani and Diljot weren’t done yet they returned on Day 2 to help India clinch bronze in the Women’s Coxed Eight (W8+), underlining the growing strength of the women’s program.
The Men’s Coxed Eight: Silver and a Lesson in Precision
In the men’s flagship event, the Coxed Eight (M8+), India clocked 05:50.874, narrowly missing gold to Uzbekistan by just over two seconds. The margin might have been slimmer or even reversed had it not been for a crucial steering error. According to the RFI President, a coxswain misjudgment caused the boat to hit two buoys during a rudder correction, costing India valuable speed in the final 500 meters. The crew’s final-quarter split (1:28.61) compared to Uzbekistan’s (1:25.98) told the story.
Still, the silver was a strong result, but one that underscored the need for specialized coxswain training, especially as India looks to challenge for gold at the 2026 Asian Games.
India’s two bronze medals added further credibility to its all-round strength.
In the Lightweight Men’s Coxless Pair (LM2-), Nitin Deol and Parvinder Singh finished with 07:01.208, while also contributing to the M8+ silver. Their dual participation reflected both talent depth and the current over-reliance on a handful of elite rowers. The Women’s Coxed Eight (W8+) crew, featuring Gurbani, Diljot, Suman Devi, and Aleena Anto among others, clocked 06:49.191 to take bronze a symbolic step forward in women’s rowing, proving that India can now compete in the sport’s largest and most demanding boat classes.
India’s surge in Hai Phong didn’t happen in isolation. It was built on three pillars: targeted funding, institutional discipline, and coaching continuity. The military services remain the backbone of Indian rowing. Athletes like Balraj Panwar (Army) and Satnam Singh (Navy) have emerged from a system that prizes physical conditioning, discipline, and regimented training. Navy coach Abhinav Bhatnagar’s technical expertise has been particularly influential in refining crew timing and stroke efficiency.
On the administrative side, the RFI’s leadership, including President Maradappa a certified World Rowing Level 2 coach has been instrumental in aligning technical and strategic direction. The federation’s decision to partner with private stakeholders like JSW for targeted programs has already proven transformative. The Hai Phong results act as a springboard for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. India has already met qualification benchmarks in key events like the Men’s Quadruple Sculls and Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls.
More importantly, the team has demonstrated the ability not just to reach finals but to convert podium positions into gold something missing at the 2023 Asian Games where India managed five medals but no golds. The focus now must shift to technical refinement especially improving closing speeds in sweep events like the M8+ and building depth to prevent overuse of multi-event athletes.
The long-term vision now points firmly toward Los Angeles 2028. Balraj Panwar’s progress in single sculls and the depth in lightweight doubles mark India’s best chances for Olympic qualification. But continental dominance is only one step. To bridge the gap with world rowing powerhouses, India needs targeted international exposure training stints in Europe, participation in World Cups, and integration of sports science in daily routines.
If supported by consistent funding and athlete specialization, this generation of Indian rowers could take the country into uncharted global territory.
The 25th Asian Rowing Championships 2025 will be remembered not just for the medal count but for what it signified the coming of age of Indian rowing. With three golds, five silvers, and two bronzes, India showcased elite consistency across disciplines and genders. The women’s resurgence, the men’s technical dominance, and the federation’s structured approach together signal that the sport is finally entering a self-sustaining phase.
If the lessons from Hai Phong are acted upon especially improving tactical execution, expanding athlete depth, and maintaining funding stability the oars that sliced through the Vietnamese waters this October might just propel Indian rowing into its most successful Olympic cycle yet.
