New Delhi: The Indian contingent for the Asian Games 2026 received a grand send-off in New Delhi on Tuesday in the presence of Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya.
Mandaviya, along with Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Dr P.T. Usha, Secretary (Sports) Hari Ranjan Rao and Chef de Mission Sahdev Yadav, unveiled the official contingent jersey ahead of the Games, according to an official statement.
The event was attended by athletes and support staff who will represent India at the Asian Games in Japan.
Addressing the athletes, Mandaviya urged them to convert pressure into performance, view opponents as opportunities, and turn those opportunities into achievements.
He expressed confidence that the Indian contingent would perform well at the Asian Games and enhance the country’s pride.
Mandaviya said sports success was not limited to individual athletes and that an athlete’s success was also a matter of national pride. He said the 503-member Indian contingent was going to the Asian Games with the expectation of delivering a strong performance.
Highlighting the emergence of young talent, the minister said more than 300 of the 503 athletes in the contingent would be first-time Asian Games participants. He said this reflected the growing depth and bench strength of Indian sport.
Mandaviya also highlighted India’s performance at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow. He said the government had ensured transparent and merit-based selection through open trials, independent observers and camera monitoring.
He noted that India had won 13 gold medals at the last Commonwealth Games and said the country’s tally had improved by more than 35 per cent this time. He wished the athletes and support staff success at the Asian Games.
The minister also highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for Indian sports and said the government had opened new pathways for athletes to compete and excel on the global stage.
Mandaviya said India’s target was to be firmly established on the world stage by 2036, when the country aims to host the Olympics. He described this as a 10-year plan and said more than Rs 36,000 crore had been allocated to improve sports infrastructure.
IOA President Usha said a sporting journey should be measured not only by medals but also by dreams. She said the athletes were travelling as representatives of India, making their participation both a responsibility and a privilege.
Usha also thanked Modi and the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports for their continued support for Indian sport.
The Asian Games 2026 will see the Indian contingent compete across multiple sporting disciplines in Japan. The 503-member contingent includes athletes and support staff, with more than 300 athletes set to make their first appearance at the Asian Games.
