The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has announced a formidable team for the South Asian Senior Athletics Championships (SASAC) 2025, to be held from October 24–26 in Ranchi, featuring a mix of experienced Asian-level performers and emerging domestic champions.
The event, seen as both a confidence-building platform and a developmental proving ground, will mark India’s bid for near-total dominance in the South Asian region. Notably, Pranav Gaurav (100m), Tamil Arasu S (4x100m relay), Samardeep Gill (shot put), Lili Das (800m/1500m), and Seema (discus throw)—all of whom represented India at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships are part of the contingent, lending both pedigree and stability to a youthful squad.
Experience Meets Opportunity
The AFI’s selection is deliberate and strategic, balancing medal certainty with international exposure. India’s history at the regional level is unmatched having swept major events at the South Asian Games for decades and the 2025 Ranchi edition is expected to reaffirm that dominance. The participation of Asian Championship athletes such as Pranav, Lili, Samardeep, and Seema ensures that India fields proven competitors in key events while using the platform to nurture emerging talents ahead of the 2026 Asian Games.
“The South Asian meet is not just about medals it’s about momentum,” an AFI official remarked. “Our objective is to strengthen the second line of performers and give our top athletes a platform to execute clean, consistent performances.”
Sprint Power: Pranav and Tamil Lead the Charge
In men’s sprints, Pranav Gaurav headlines India’s 100m entry after clocking a personal best of 10.27 seconds earlier this year just shy of the national record (10.18s). Having already competed at the continental level in Bangkok earlier this season, Pranav will enter Ranchi as the overwhelming favorite to claim gold and possibly break the regional record. He will be joined by Tamil Arasu S, one of the country’s brightest young sprinters and a core member of India’s 4x100m relay setup.
Tamil’s inclusion highlights AFI’s strategy of testing emerging relay depth in an international environment, especially in the absence of senior regulars like Amlan Borgohain and Animesh Kujur. With Ranchi’s moderately high altitude (651m) and fast synthetic track, India’s men’s sprint unit is expected to post quick times.
Field Event Focus: Samardeep and Seema Poised for Gold
Among field athletes, Samardeep Gill stands out as one of India’s top medal prospects. The Punjab shot-putter has enjoyed a stellar 2025 season, recording a personal best of 19.82 meters, only 21 centimeters short of the South Asian Games record (20.03m). Having competed in the Asian Championships earlier this year, Samardeep has shown remarkable consistency, and the Ranchi conditions may well push him past the 20m barrier.
In the women’s field events, Seema Punia’s successor in Indian discus, Seema, returns to the circle after a solid showing at the Asian level. With a season’s best of 55.26m, she remains a firm favorite to top the podium in Ranchi. Her performance trajectory this year suggests she could challenge the regional record (57.03m), especially under the favorable post-monsoon weather expected during the event. A particularly encouraging inclusion is that of Lili Das, one of India’s most talented middle-distance runners. After featuring in both the 800m and 1500m at the Asian Championships, Lili will use the South Asian meet as a stepping stone in her return to top form.
The AFI sees her participation as part of a broader rehabilitation strategy, aimed at restoring her rhythm and confidence after a challenging phase in her career. Her personal best of 2:02.98 in 800m and 4:15.59 in 1500m place her comfortably ahead of regional competition. For Lili, the focus will be less on time and more on executing tactical race control something that could prove crucial ahead of next year’s Federation Cup and Asian Games selection.
India’s 2025 SASAC team reflects a broader developmental approach rather than a purely medal-driven agenda. The selection committee has consciously fielded a mix of senior champions and next-generation athletes, ensuring exposure without compromising dominance.
Among the headline goals:
- Depth testing in men’s 400m and relays, traditionally India’s stronghold.
- Performance rehabilitation for middle-distance and technical athletes like Lili and Seema.
- Regional benchmarking for emerging throwers and sprinters.
- Record pursuits in events like men’s shot put and javelin, and women’s discus.
The AFI’s planning also accounts for the absence of Pakistan, a traditional competitor in technical events. This ensures that India’s medal targets are internally set—focusing on achieving season’s bests and exposure outcomes rather than just podiums.
Ranchi Advantage: Fast Track, Favorable Climate
Hosting the meet in Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Stadium is more than symbolic it’s practical. The facility, equipped with a high-speed synthetic track and world-class throwing infrastructure, is known for producing sharp performances. The moderate altitude of 651m provides a small but measurable benefit in sprint and throw events due to reduced air drag, while late-October weather promises dry, mild conditions ideal for endurance events. This makes Ranchi an ideal test venue for the AFI’s depth pool, especially for younger athletes who need controlled, high-quality competitive exposure on home soil.
While India’s medal supremacy appears assured, Sri Lanka remains the most credible challenger, particularly in men’s 400m and javelin. Asian bronze medallist Kalinga Kumarage will be the athlete to beat in the men’s quarter-mile, where India is fielding developmental runners led by Rashid (47.10s). In men’s javelin, Rishabh Nehra (80.12m) will take on Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga (85.45m) in what could be the meet’s most competitive event. For India, these duels serve a larger purpose benchmarking domestic consistency against regional competition, a key part of preparation for the 2026 Asian circuit.
Ultimately, the South Asian Senior Championships in Ranchi are about shaping the next chapter of Indian athletics. The blend of Asian-level campaigners like Pranav, Tamil, Samardeep, Lili, and Seema, alongside promising newcomers, reinforces AFI’s strategic blueprint—building an athletically deep, psychologically ready, and internationally experienced team ahead of the 2026 Asian Games.
If performances in Ranchi align with projections, India could not only retain regional supremacy but also emerge with record-breaking individual results, validating the federation’s new focus on technical refinement and exposure-driven growth.
India’s 2025 South Asian Senior Athletics Championships squad is more than a team it’s a statement of continuity, confidence, and calculated development. With the nation’s best young athletes leading the charge and proven performers returning to form, Ranchi 2025 could mark another chapter in India’s regional dominance and an early glimpse into its next generation of continental champions.
Men’s Team:
– 100m: Pranav Gurav, Harsh Raut
– 200m: Sandeep Singh, Prathik Maharana
– 400m: Rashid, Mohammed Ashfaq
– 800m: Prakash Gadade, Mogali Venkatram
– 1500m: Sunil Dawar, Arjun Waskale
– 5000m: Prince Kumar, Mohit Chaudhary
– 10,000m: Prince Kumar, Abhishek
– 110m hurdles: Manav R, Krishik M
– 400m hurdles: Ruchit Mori, Karna Bag
– High jump: Rohit, Aadarsh Ram
– Long jump: Mohd Sazid, Sarun Payasingh
– Triple jump: Dinesh V, Sebastian VS
– Shot put: Samardeep Gill, Ravi Kumar
– Discus throw: Kirpal Singh, Nirbhay Singh
– Javelin throw: Rishabh Nehra, Uttam Patil
– Hammer throw: Damneet Singh, Ashish Jakhar
– 4x100m relay: Pranav Gurav, Harsh Raut, Tamil Arasu S, Prathik Maharana, Jasjit Singh Dhillon, Arnav Takalkar
– 4x400m relay: Rashid, Mohd Ashfaq, Sharan M, Tarandeep Singh, Rohit Chaydhary, Edwin Mathew
Women’s Team:
– 100m: Sudeshna Shivankar, Jilna MV
– 200m: Sakshi Chavan, Neeru Pathak
– 400m: Neeru Pathak, Olimba Steffi
– 800m: Lili Das, Amandeep Kaur
– 1500m: Sanjana Singh, Kajal Kanwade
– 5000m: Seema, Sanjana Singh
– 10,000m: Ravina Gayakwad, Basanti Kumari
– 100m hurdles: Nandhini K, Moumita Mondal
– 400m hurdles: Olimba Steffi, Neha Dhabale
– High jump: Gobika K, Supriya B
– Long jump: Mubassina Mohammed, Bhavani Yadav
– Triple jump: Bhairabi Roy, Poorva Sawant
– Shot put: Yogita, Shiksha
– Discus throw: Seema, Nidhi
– Javelin throw: Deepika, Karishma Sanil
– 4x100m relay: Sudeshna Shivankar, Jilna MV, Tamanna, Sakshi Chavan, Subha Darshini S, Kajal Vaja
– 4x400m relay: Neeru Pathak, Olimba Steffi, Priya Mohan, Poovamma MR, Anankha BA, Manisha Kumari, Rashdeep Kaur
Source NNIS
