India’s Asian Games 2026 contingent swells to 768 as 11 more athletes, 246 officials included

India’s delegation for the upcoming 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, scheduled from September 19 to October 4—has been finalized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) at 758 members. Building on their stellar performance at the previous Games, the nation's campaign will feature 503 athletes alongside a 246-member support crew.

11 athletes added as India finalises 768-member contingent for Asian Games

The roster was expanded from an initial 492 competitors after MYAS cleared 11 late inclusions, comprising six track and field athletes, four surfers, and one mixed martial arts participant. In total, India will compete across 35 of the 43 discipline categories in Japan, fielding a balanced athlete breakdown of 269 men and 234 women.

The latest additions to the roster feature track and field athletes Praveen Kumar (men's hammer throw), Harita Bhadra (women's 200m), Kiran Pahal (women's 400m), Asha Ilango (women's triple jump), Sindhushree Ganesha (women's pole vault), and Sanya Yadav (women's discus throw). They are joined by combat sports competitor Varun Sanyal (men's traditional -77kg MMA), along with a four-member surfing unit comprising Kishore Kumar, Sivaraj Babu, Kamali Prakash, and Sugar Shanti Gayen in the shortboard categories.

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246 support staff also included

To back the athletic contingent, officials approved 246 support staff, including 23 chief or deputy chief coaches, 150 team coaches, and an array of medical, psychological, and administrative personnel, with athletics receiving the largest support share. Meanwhile, the cricket division will carry a full 50-person delegation, with both the men’s and women’s squads allocated their complete 20-member support setups under head coaches VVS Laxman and Amol Muzumdar.

For the field hockey events, India will field a combined 40-person delegation across its men's and women's setups, featuring 26 players alongside a 14-member backing staff.

The administrative wing will be led by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) through a 19-member official delegation. Weightlifting federation head Sahdev Yadav takes charge as the Chef de Mission, supported by four deputy chefs de mission, while Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala oversees medical care as the Chief Medical Officer.

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The roster, however, suffers a major setback with the absence of star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra. The two-time Olympic medalist, who clinched gold in both the 2018 Jakarta and 2023 Hangzhou editions, was forced to withdraw after suffering an ankle ligament injury.

Despite Chopra's absence, expectations remain high for the contingent as they look to build on their historic performance in Hangzhou—where India breached the 100-medal milestone for the first time with a record 107-medal tally—and set a new benchmark in Japan.