India’s youth athletes scripted a historic chapter in the nation’s sporting journey at the 3rd Asian Youth Games (AYG) 2025, finishing with a record 48 medals (13 Gold, 18 Silver, 17 Bronze) and securing 6th place overall among 45 competing nations.
The performance marked India’s best-ever finish in the history of the Games, surpassing its combined totals from the 2009 and 2013 editions. For a nation that returned from Nanjing 2013 with just 14 medals, the surge to 48 in 2025 represents not just numerical growth but a structural shift in India’s sporting system proof that a decade of grassroots reform, spearheaded by Khelo India and TOPS Development, is translating into measurable international results.
India’s leap from an average of 12 medals in earlier editions to 48 this year is not a statistical anomaly but a reflection of systematic progress. With 222 athletes (119 women, 103 men) participating across 21 sports, the contingent demonstrated both depth and gender parity a significant marker of the country’s evolving sporting culture.
The performance was built on targeted dominance rather than scattered success. Ten of India’s 13 gold medals came from combat sports boxing, wrestling, and beach wrestling disciplines that have become the backbone of India’s youth medal machine.
Indian boxing was once again the biggest contributor, returning seven medals (4 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze) the highest of any individual discipline. The women led the charge: Khushi Chand (46kg), Ahaana Sharma (50kg), Chandrika Pujari (54kg), and Anshika (+80kg) all won gold in emphatic fashion. Ahaana’s final, which ended in a first-round Referee Stopped Contest (RSC), symbolized the rising standard of India’s technical preparation at youth level. Both Lanchenba Singh Moibungkhongbam and Harnoor Kaur took silvers, underlining India’s strength across categories.
In wrestling, India secured three gold medals through Moni (57kg), Yashita (61kg), and Jaiveer Singh (55kg) in freestyle. On the beach, the nation added another three golds and two silvers, with standout performances from Sani Subhash Fulmali, Arjun Ruhil, and Anjali, who dominated their bouts through technical superiority.
The combined medal haul across both mat and sand-based wrestling events (7 total) confirmed India’s supremacy in Asia’s traditional strength zones a payoff for years of investment in National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs) and the grassroots scouting mechanisms of Khelo India.
Kabaddi and Weightlifting Add Golden Touches
If boxing and wrestling provided the volume, Kabaddi delivered the symbolism. India’s boys’ and girls’ teams both clinched gold, reaffirming the country’s continued control over its indigenous sport. Meanwhile, Priteesmita Bhoi’s gold in weightlifting (44kg) was arguably the standout individual achievement of the Games. Her world youth record in Clean & Jerk elevated the gold beyond continental value signaling India’s emergence as a potential future force in women’s weightlifting at the global level.
Priteesmita’s record-setting performance has already triggered recommendations for her immediate inclusion in the TOPS Core Group, ensuring she receives elite training support ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Athletics, despite fielding the largest contingent (31 athletes), missed out on gold but secured five silver medals, including podium finishes for Oshin (Discus Throw), Ranjana Yadav (5000m Walk), Shourya Ambure (100m Hurdles), and Edwina Jason (400m). The results underline both progress and a performance gap. While India’s youth athletes are now consistent finalists, the inability to convert silver into gold highlights the need for specialized coaching, tailored phasing, and greater exposure to elite competitions abroad.
Meanwhile, Kurash and Judo contributed five medals between them, marking India’s growing footprint in emerging Asian combat disciplines. Kurash, in particular, has become a surprise medal source, with podiums for Kanishka Bidhuri (Silver) and Khushi and Arvind (Bronze). India’s 222-member contingent in Manama was fully funded by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) under a full-cost approval model covering travel, accommodation, insurance, and logistics.
The policy ensured athletes faced no financial barriers and could compete with singular focus. Every participant underwent mandatory NADA anti-doping testing, ensuring clean representation. A support staff of 90 coaches, physios, and analysts accompanied the team, reflecting a holistic approach to athlete welfare and performance science. Such comprehensive support mechanisms, combined with long-term development programs like Khelo India and Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Development, have created a seamless pipeline from rural talent identification to international podium finishes.
The Asian Youth Games served as a crucial qualifier for the 2026 Youth Olympics (Dakar). India’s dominance across combat sports has effectively secured multiple quota positions, giving its contingent a major head start in the global qualification process. For the 2028 and 2032 Olympic cycles, this AYG generation represents India’s most data-backed, policy-supported youth crop to date. Many of the medalists especially from combat sports and weightlifting are already integrated into TOPS Development and National Centres of Excellence, ensuring continuity in their progress.
However, transitioning from youth stardom to senior-level success remains India’s biggest structural challenge. The need for weight management support, psychological conditioning, and international exposure is more critical than ever. Experts have proposed pairing AYG medalists with senior Olympians in a mentorship program under the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) a step that could ensure experience transfer and athlete retention.
The 2025 performance is perhaps the strongest validation of India’s youth sports ecosystem since the inception of Khelo India in 2016. The program now operates through 1,045 Khelo India Centres, 34 State Centres of Excellence, and 306 accredited academies, ensuring nationwide coverage.
Most importantly, a majority of India’s AYG medalists hail from rural and semi-urban centers proof that the program’s decentralization model is working. As the Ministry noted, “The system is now identifying and empowering talent previously invisible to the urban-dominated sports structure.”
Despite the success, some key inefficiencies persist. High-participation disciplines such as Athletics and Handball, which together fielded nearly 50 athletes, delivered no golds a sign that volume alone does not guarantee yield. These federations must review their training cycles, competition exposure plans, and final-round pressure strategies. Furthermore, India’s gold conversion rate (27%) lags behind regional leaders like Uzbekistan (46%), signaling a need for targeted psychological and technical preparation for final areas often neglected in youth training.
India’s 48-medal performance at AYG 2025 is not merely a record; it is a roadmap. It demonstrates that policy-backed systems can convert grassroots energy into continental excellence. But sustaining this trajectory will depend on bridging the youth-to-senior gap a transition that has historically derailed Indian sport. If managed with foresight, this class of 2025 could form the backbone of India’s Olympic campaigns for Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032.
The message from Manama is clear: India’s youth sports revolution is no longer a promise it’s a performance.
