Indian swimming finally had its long-awaited breakthrough on continental waters, and at the centre of it all was Srihari Nataraj.
The 24-year-old Bengaluru ace produced a spectacular opening day at the 11th Asian Aquatics Championships by winning two individual silver medals and a relay bronze, ending India’s 16-year drought for a continental swimming medal and giving the home crowd a day to remember at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex.
Srihari opened India’s account in the morning session with a historic silver in the men’s 200m freestyle, clocking 1:48.47. Seeded in the outside Lane 1, he defied the odds with a perfectly paced swim, staying within striking distance at the halfway mark before unleashing a strong final 50 metres to touch second behind China’s Haibu Xu. The medal was India’s first at the Asian Aquatics Championships since 2009, underlining the significance of the performance.
If the 200m freestyle silver was about endurance and race management, Srihari’s second medal showcased his raw speed. In the evening finals, he stormed to another silver in the 50m backstroke, stopping the clock at 25.46 seconds, just outside his own national record of 25.18.
His start and underwater phase were crisp, allowing him to edge past the Japanese challenge and secure a second podium finish in front of a roaring home crowd.
The day wasn’t done yet. Teaming up with Rishabh Chaudhary, Likith SP, and Rohit Benedicton, Srihari anchored India to a bronze medal in the men’s 4x100m medley relay. The quartet clocked 3:40.87, narrowly missing the national record of 3:40.20. Their splits told the story of a well-executed race: Rishabh led with 56.29 on backstroke, Likith followed with 1:02.31 in breaststroke, Rohit powered through the butterfly leg in 53.22, and Srihari closed with a scorching 49.05 freestyle anchor to hold off a late challenge for third place.
These three medals represent a seismic shift for Indian swimming, which has struggled for podium finishes at the Asian level despite steady improvements in national records over the last decade. Srihari’s haul equals India’s total medal count from the previous two editions combined and he achieved it in a single day. While Srihari rightly stole the spotlight, there were other encouraging performances for India on Day 1. Dhinidhi Desinghu, one of the country’s brightest young prospects, broke her own national record ( India Best Time ) in the women’s 200m freestyle final. The 17-year-old clocked 2:02.84, improving on her previous mark of 2:02.97 set earlier this year, and finished a creditable fifth in a strong field.
Her swim underlined the depth emerging in Indian women’s swimming, where steady progress is beginning to translate into international competitiveness.
Elsewhere, Rohit Benedicton narrowly missed a medal in the men’s 100m butterfly, finishing fourth in a tight final, while Danush and Thanya Shadakshari placed seventh and eighth respectively in their 200m breaststroke finals. Though outside the podium, these finals appearances signal India’s growing ability to place multiple swimmers in Asian championship finals, a key marker of progress. The broader significance of Srihari’s medals goes beyond numbers. India last stood on an Asian Aquatics swimming podium in 2009, and for years the gap with the continent’s powerhouses China, Japan, and Korea seemed insurmountable. Srihari’s performances, backed by an improving relay squad, show that Indian swimmers can now challenge the second tier and occasionally trouble the best.
Srihari’s career trajectory makes this breakthrough particularly rewarding. A Tokyo Olympian and multiple national record holder, he has spent the past three years refining his technique and strength while navigating the pressure of being India’s premier male swimmer. His 49.05 relay split is among the fastest ever by an Indian and hints at further improvements in the sprint freestyle events. The home championships also provided a morale boost for India’s support staff, led by national coach Nihar Ameen, who has consistently emphasised international exposure and sports science.
With several days of competition still to come, the focus now shifts to sustaining momentum across middle- and long-distance events, as well as upcoming relays.
For Indian swimming fans, Day 1 in Ahmedabad was a celebration long overdue. Three medals including two silvers from Srihari Nataraj signal that the gap with Asia’s elite is narrowing. Dhinidhi Desinghu’s record-breaking swim and the relay team’s spirited bronze add to the optimism that this could be the start of a new era. As the championships continue, all eyes will remain on Srihari and his teammates to see if they can add to the medal tally.
Regardless of what follows, the opening day has already etched its place in Indian swimming history a day when the Tricolour finally returned to the Asian Aquatics podium and a young champion from Bengaluru reminded the continent that India is ready to compete.
