Indian judo took a giant stride forward at the Asian Junior Judo Championships 2025 in Jakarta, as the country’s young judokas produced their best-ever performance at this stage, collecting six medals two gold, one silver, and three bronze.
The campaign was marked by a twin-gold strike on the opening day, followed by steady results that confirmed India’s emergence as a rising force in continental judo. The championship could not have begun on a better note for India. On Day 1, Darjada Shahin (57kg) and Himanshi Tokas (61kg) captured gold medals, while Chanambam Linthoi added a bronze in the 61kg category.
Shahin displayed a mix of aggression and composure throughout her campaign, dominating her weight category with clinical precision. Her final bout reflected the maturity of a judoka ready to transition to senior levels, and her gold was a signal of the depth in India’s middleweight divisions.
The story of the day, however, belonged to Himanshi Tokas. A product of the SAI National Centre of Excellence (NCOE), Bhopal, Tokas delivered a series of inspiring performances, including a dramatic semi-final win against Linthoi Chanambam, a former junior world champion and one of India’s brightest prospects. Defeating her compatriot in such a high-pressure contest, Tokas went on to overcome top-ranked opponents from Mongolia, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan en route to the title. Linthoi, who had carried the weight of expectations, responded with professionalism after her semi-final loss, bouncing back to claim the bronze.
That ensured India had two podium finishes in the same weight category a rare and significant achievement at the continental level.
The Final Day Surge
If the opening day was about fireworks, the closing day brought confirmation of India’s consistency. On the last day of the competition, India added one silver and two bronze medals to its tally.
- Ishroop Narang fought valiantly in the women’s 78kg category, reaching the final after an impressive run. Though she fell just short in the title clash, her silver medal underlined her potential to challenge the continent’s best.
- Chanu Khaidem (70kg) displayed grit and adaptability to clinch a bronze medal, showing remarkable progress after earlier struggles in international competitions.
- Kanwarpreet Kaur (78kg+) rounded off India’s campaign with another bronze, a reward for her physical strength and tactical awareness in a demanding weight division.
By the end of the week, India’s judokas had produced a historic tally of six medals: two gold, one silver, and three bronze. For a nation that has long sought to establish itself in the Asian judo circuit, the Jakarta campaign marked a turning point.
Himanshi Tokas: The New Face of Indian Judo
Among all the medal winners, the spotlight inevitably falls on Himanshi Tokas. Her rapid rise over the past year has been nothing short of phenomenal. Trained at the SAI NCOE Bhopal, Tokas has benefited from a structured ecosystem combining elite coaching, international exposure, and scientific support.
Her recent achievements highlight both consistency and adaptability:
- 🥇 Gold – Asian Junior Championships, Jakarta
- 🥇 Gold – Taipei Junior Asian Cup
- 🥇 Gold – Casablanca African Open (Senior & Junior)
- 🥇 Gold – Commonwealth Judo Championships (Senior & Junior)
This golden streak has positioned her among the world’s best. With the World No.1 junior ranking within reach, Tokas represents the new wave of Indian judokas ready to compete on equal footing with the established powers of Asia and beyond. Her triumph over Linthoi, though difficult for Indian fans to digest, reflects the healthy competition within the national setup a factor that can only strengthen India’s presence at the senior level in the years to come.
The Asian Junior Championships also showcased the breadth of India’s judo talent, particularly among women. Six medals across five weight categories underline a depth not often associated with Indian judo in the past. Just a decade ago, podium finishes at this level were rare; now, India is consistently challenging the judo powerhouses of Japan, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan. Adding to the celebrations was a success story from the cadet category. Aarush Dutta, another promising athlete from the SAI NCOE Bhopal programme, clinched a bronze medal in the boys’ 60kg division at the Cadet Asian Judo Championships held alongside the juniors.
His achievement reflects the strong pipeline being developed at grassroots and youth levels.
What This Means for the Future
The Jakarta medal haul is more than just numbers on paper. It represents progress in areas where India has long struggled: technical refinement, mental resilience, and international exposure. Importantly, it signals that India’s investments in training infrastructure and overseas competition are paying dividends. For the athletes, the Asian Junior Championships are also a stepping stone toward larger goals. Many of these judokas, including Tokas, Shahin, and Linthoi, are expected to graduate into the senior ranks, where the challenges are stiffer but the opportunities Asian Games, World Championships, and eventually the Olympics are within touching distance.
The dominance of female athletes in this campaign is another noteworthy trend. With the likes of Himanshi Tokas, Linthoi Chanambam, and a host of others making their mark, women’s judo in India appears to be entering a golden phase. India’s performance at the Asian Junior Judo Championships 2025 will be remembered as a watershed moment. A total of six medals, including two gold, is not just a statistical improvement but a statement of intent. Young judokas like Himanshi Tokas and Darjada Shahin are beginning to change the narrative, proving that India can compete with and defeat the continent’s best.
For Indian judo, the road ahead is still long, but in Jakarta, the country caught a glimpse of a promising future. With talent, discipline, and the right support system, the dream of seeing Indian judokas on the Olympic podium no longer seems distant.
Final Medal Tally – India (Asian Junior Judo Championships 2025):
🥇 Gold – 2 (Darjada Shahin, Himanshi Tokas)
🥈 Silver – 1 (Ishroop Narang)
🥉 Bronze – 3 (Linthoi Chanambam, Chanu Khaidem, Kanwarpreet Kaur)
