Gandhinagar, July 27 (IANS) Gujarat will have its largest-ever representation at the Asian Games, with nine athletes and one reserve player selected to represent India at the 20th Asian Games in Japan’s Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4, 2026.
The selection marks a significant increase from the 2014 Asian Games, when only three athletes from Gujarat represented the country.
State officials said the latest contingent reflects the steady expansion of Gujarat’s presence across multiple sporting disciplines at the international level.
The athletes selected from Gujarat include shooter Elavenil Valarivan; table tennis players Harmeet Desai, Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah; soft tennis player Aniket Patel; swimmer Aryan Nehra; tennis players Ankita Raina and Vaidehi Chaudhari; and sprinter Devyani Zala. Tennis player Jil Desai has been named as a reserve.
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said the increase in representation was the result of long-term investment in sports development.
“To ensure that athletes from Gujarat develop their talent at the international level, the then Chief Minister and now Prime Minister Narendra Modi implemented initiatives ranging from Khel Mahakumbh to the Shaktidoot Yojana. The results of those efforts are now visible. Gujarat is emerging as a global powerhouse in sports,” Sanghavi said.
He added that the state government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, was focussed on creating a comprehensive sporting ecosystem.
“Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Gujarat is fully focussed on building a world-class sporting culture. We are not only training athletes but also creating an entire ecosystem that enables them to bring glory to the nation at the international level,” he said.
Sanghavi also said Gujarat was preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and that work to develop world-class sports infrastructure was progressing on a war footing.
According to the state government, Gujarat’s participation in major international events, including the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, has steadily increased over the past decade.
Officials said the selection of athletes from a range of disciplines, including shooting, table tennis, tennis, swimming, athletics and soft tennis, reflected the state’s growing contribution to Indian sport beyond its traditional association with cricket.
The 20th Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, between September 19 and October 4, bringing together athletes from across Asia in one of the continent’s largest multi-sport events.
–IANS
mys/rad