Four Indian Boxers Elevated to TOPS Core Group After Asian Championships Glory as India Eyes CWG and Asian Games Medals
India's boxing programme received a significant institutional boost on Wednesday when four athletes were elevated to the Core group of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme following their performances at the 2026 Asian Boxing Elite Championships in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The decision, taken at the 172nd Mission Olympic Cell meeting, reflects the government's commitment to backing Indian boxing at its highest level ahead of what promises to be a defining year for the sport, with both the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on the horizon.
Preeti Pawar (54kg), Priya (60kg) and Arundhati Chaudhary (70kg) all gold medallists at the continental championships and Sachin (60kg), who claimed silver in Ulaanbaatar, have been inducted into the TOPS Core group following a detailed assessment by the Mission Olympic Cell of their recent results, world rankings and overall performance progression. The Core group represents the highest tier of government support available to Indian athletes, providing comprehensive resources including monthly stipends, foreign training exposure, specialised coaching, sports science support and physiotherapy the full ecosystem of elite preparation.
India's performance at the 2026 Asian Boxing Championships in Ulaanbaatar had been one of the most impressive in recent memory. The country returned with 16 medals in total five gold, three silver and eight bronze a haul that confirmed the depth and quality running through the current generation of Indian boxers. For Preeti, Priya and Arundhati, the gold medals were a statement of continental supremacy in their respective weight categories, while Sachin's silver demonstrated that Indian men's boxing is similarly well-stocked with talent capable of competing at the highest Asian level.
The Mission Olympic Cell's decision to elevate these four athletes to the Core group is not merely a reward for past performance it is a strategic investment in future results. Preeti is set to compete in both the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games, joining Jaismine (57kg), Priya, Arundhati and Sachin as India's core boxing contingent across both major events this year. Preeti, Priya and Sachin have all qualified directly for the Asian Games based on the Boxing Federation of India's selection policy, making their preparation and support in the coming months critical to India's medal ambitions in Japan.
Boxing's significance at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow carries additional weight given the narrower sporting programme of CWG 2026. With disciplines such as shooting, badminton, wrestling and field hockey events where India traditionally accumulates medals absent from the Glasgow edition, boxing becomes one of the sport's most important medal-generating opportunities. The MOC's elevation of these athletes to Core group status sends a clear signal that the government understands that significance and is backing its boxers accordingly.
Three additional athletes were inducted into the TOPS Development group at Wednesday's meeting. Aditya (65kg), Deepak (70kg) and Harsh (90kg) all of whom impressed at the Asian Championships, with Harsh claiming bronze and Aditya and Deepak reaching the quarterfinals will now receive structured support, exposure and monitoring as they progress toward elite performance levels. The Development group serves as the critical feeder system to the Core category, ensuring that the pipeline of talent below India's current top performers is nurtured rather than neglected.
Narender (+90kg) has been included in the Target Asian Games Group a support structure that will carry the 31-year-old through to the Aichi-Nagoya Games later this year. The bronze medallist from Ulaanbaatar brings experience and competitive savvy to a weight category where India will be looking for podium finishes. With these inclusions, the TOPS Core group now features seven boxers, the Development group carries 25, and the TAGG scheme includes one. Collectively, that represents a significant investment of government resources in a sport that has consistently delivered medals at the Commonwealth and Asian Games level, and which retains genuine Olympic ambitions for the 2028 Los Angeles cycle.
The message from the Mission Olympic Cell is an unambiguous one Indian boxing's finest are being given every possible advantage to succeed when it matters most. The stage is set, the support is in place, and the expectation is medals.
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