Anahat Singh, Aryaveer Dewan Lead India's Charge at 2026 World Junior Squash Championships in Canada

India has named a strong eight-member squad for the 2026 World Junior Squash Championships, with rising stars Anahat Singh and Aryaveer Dewan leading the country's challenge at the prestigious event in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, from July 20 to July 31.

The tournament represents one of the biggest stages in junior squash, bringing together the world's best Under-19 players. This year, India's contingent heads into the championship with genuine medal hopes, particularly through Anahat Singh, who is chasing history by attempting to become the first Indian to win a World Junior Squash singles title.

Boys: Aryaveer Dewan, Yusha Nafees, Gurveer Singh & Purav Rambhia

Girls: Anahat Singh,Rudra Singh, Anika Dubey & Saanvi Kalanki

The squad combines proven international performers with some of India's brightest emerging talents, reflecting the country's growing strength in junior squash.

Much of India's attention will be on 18-year-old Anahat Singh, who continues to establish herself as one of the brightest young players in world squash. Currently ranked World No. 20 in the PSA rankings, Anahat heads into the World Juniors in exceptional form after enjoying one of the best seasons of her career. Earlier this year, she captured her maiden PSA Bronze title at the Squash on Fire Open before successfully defending her JSW Indian Open crown.

Her confidence will also stem from her memorable campaign at the 2025 World Junior Championships in Cairo. Last year, Anahat scripted history by winning the bronze medal, becoming the first Indian in 15 years to reach the semifinals of the girls' singles competition.

Her run ended against Egypt's Nadien Elhammamy, who defeated the Indian youngster 11-6, 14-12, 12-10 in a closely fought semifinal. The scoreline, however, hardly reflected how competitive the contest was.

Anahat held multiple game points in both the second and third games but narrowly failed to convert them as Elhammamy produced a remarkable comeback. Had she won, Anahat would have become only the second Indian woman after Joshna Chinappa (2005) to reach the World Junior final.

Despite the disappointment, her bronze medal marked India's best result at the tournament in over a decade and firmly established her among the world's elite juniors. Now, one year later, she returns with even greater experience and an opportunity to create history.

India's boys' squad will be spearheaded by Aryaveer Dewan, who arrives in Canada with tremendous momentum. The 17-year-old recently won the Under-19 title at the Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships in China, becoming only the fourth Indian male player to capture the prestigious continental championship. That victory announced Aryaveer's arrival among Asia's leading junior players and significantly boosted expectations ahead of the World Championships.

Having gained valuable experience from previous appearances at the Junior Worlds, Aryaveer will now look to improve on his earlier performances and challenge for the latter stages of the competition. His recent form suggests he possesses both the confidence and ability to compete against the world's strongest junior players.

Alongside Aryaveer, the boys' squad includes Yusha Nafees, Gurveer Singh, and Purav Rambhia, all of whom have impressed on the domestic and Asian junior circuits. On the girls' side, Rudra Singh, Anika Dubey, and Saanvi Kalanki complete the Indian squad alongside Anahat. The team provides India with depth in both the individual and team events, giving the country multiple opportunities to make an impact during the championship.

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Indian squash has witnessed remarkable growth over the past decade. Former stars like Saurav Ghosal, Dipika Pallikal, Joshna Chinappa, and Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu helped establish India among the leading squash nations in Asia. Now, a new generation appears ready to continue that legacy.

Players such as Anahat Singh have already broken into the senior PSA Tour while still eligible for junior competitions, a clear indication of the increasing quality emerging from India's development system.

Her gold medal at the Asian Junior Individual Championships and the Asian Squash Doubles Championships, where she partnered Joshna Chinappa, further highlight her rapid rise.

The 2026 edition of the World Junior Squash Championships will bring together the finest Under-19 players from across the globe. Traditionally dominated by Egypt, England, and Malaysia, the championship remains one of the toughest titles to win in junior squash. With both individual and team events on the schedule, players will have multiple opportunities to showcase their abilities over nearly two weeks of competition.

India enters this year's championship with realistic ambitions of winning medals in both the boys' and girls' competitions. For Aryaveer Dewan, the goal will be to convert his recent Asian title-winning form into a deep run at the World Championships. For Anahat Singh, however, the stakes are even higher. Having already rewritten India's recent history with her bronze medal in 2025, she now stands on the verge of an even greater achievement. No Indian has ever lifted the World Junior Squash singles title.

If Anahat can navigate one of the strongest fields in world junior squash, she has the opportunity to become the first Indian ever to win a World Junior Squash Championship, adding another landmark chapter to the country's growing legacy in the sport.

With a balanced squad, growing international experience, and two genuine title contenders leading the charge, India will travel to Canada hoping that 2026 becomes the country's most successful campaign yet at the World Junior Squash Championships.