India Name 21-Member Sepaktakraw Squad for Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games
India has named a 21-member sepaktakraw squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, with the contingent set to compete across men’s and women’s events in one of Asia’s most distinctive team sports.
The Indian squad comprises 12 men and nine women. The men’s team will compete in the team regu and quadrant events, while the women’s contingent has been selected for the quadrant and double competitions.
The 2026 Asian Games will provide India with another opportunity to build on the progress made at Hangzhou 2022, where the women's team delivered one of the standout results for Indian sepaktakraw by winning a bronze medal.
The men's campaign, meanwhile, showed the challenge India faces against the sport's traditional powerhouses. Aichi-Nagoya will offer a fresh opportunity for the Indian teams to push deeper into the competition.
India's biggest sepaktakraw achievement at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games came in the women's regu event. The Indian team won bronze after progressing through a competitive group stage and reaching the semifinals. The result marked a significant moment for the sport in India and demonstrated that the women's programme could compete with established Asian teams.
India began the group stage with a defeat against Vietnam before responding with an important victory over China. That result helped the team progress into the semifinal stage. India then faced Thailand, one of the strongest sepaktakraw nations, and lost 0-2. However, the team finished with a bronze medal.
The Hangzhou result remains an important benchmark for the current generation of players.
The women's squad for Aichi-Nagoya 2026 includes Maipak Devi Ayekpam, Priya Devi Elangbam, Shilpa Elangbam, Chaoba Devi Oinam, Seyiekhrieno Tepa and Malemnganbi Yumnam in the quadrant team. Leirentonbi Devi Elangbam, Prity Langoljam and Menenu Tsukru have been selected for the women's double event.
With different event formats demanding different tactical approaches, the squad has been structured to provide India with specialist combinations.
India's men's contingent includes 12 players, with several athletes selected for both the team regu and quadrant events. Arun will compete in both disciplines, along with Lokhon Singh Elangbam, Bobby Kumar, O Amarjit Singha, Malemnganba Singh Sorokhaibam and Akash Yumnam. Jasvir, Ashish Chundawat, Shyam Singh, Ashok Singh Mayengbam, Ram Kumar Sharma and Henary Singh Wahengbam have been selected for the men's team regu event.
The overlap between the two squads provides India with flexibility and allows several players to contribute across multiple formats.
At Hangzhou 2022, India faced a difficult men's competition. The men's regu team lost to Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar during the group stage and finished fourth in the pool. The quadrant team also faced strong opposition, recording a victory against Singapore but losing to Japan, the Philippines and South Korea.
India eventually finished fourth in the group and did not progress into the medal rounds. Those results highlighted the high standard of men's sepaktakraw in Asia, where Thailand has traditionally been one of the dominant nations and several Southeast Asian teams possess deep competitive experience.
For India, the immediate objective in 2026 will be to improve its group-stage performances and turn competitive matches into wins against higher-ranked opponents.
Sepaktakraw combines elements of volleyball and football, with players using their feet, knees, shoulders and head to control and return the ball over a net. The sport demands exceptional flexibility, timing and athleticism. Players regularly execute spectacular aerial kicks, including the famous bicycle-style spike known as the roll spike.
In regu, teams use three players on court. The quadrant format expands the playing group, while the women's double competition presents another tactical variation.
Each format requires a combination of precise ball control and rapid decision-making. A strong serve can immediately put opponents under pressure, while successful attacks often depend on accurate setting and perfectly timed aerial strikes. Defensive positioning is equally important because rallies can change direction within seconds.
For India, developing consistency in these technical areas will be essential against Asia's strongest teams.
Aichi-Nagoya presents a new opportunity.
The 21-member squad reflects India's ambition to compete across multiple sepaktakraw disciplines at the 2026 Asian Games.
The women's team will enter the tournament with the confidence of India's previous Asian Games bronze medal, even though the event programme and squad composition have evolved.
The men's team, meanwhile, will look to close the gap on the continent's leading nations.
Several players have been selected for multiple events, which could allow India to maintain continuity across the competition. Arun, Lokhon Singh Elangbam, Bobby Kumar, O Amarjit Singha, Malemnganba Singh Sorokhaibam and Akash Yumnam will all have responsibilities in both men's formats.
For the women, the challenge will be to establish strong partnerships in the quadrant and double events.
The Asian Games remain the biggest continental platform for sepaktakraw, particularly because the strongest nations in the sport are based in Asia. Success in Aichi-Nagoya will therefore require India to perform at a consistently high level against some of the world's best teams.
India's immediate aim will be to progress deeper into the men's competition while maintaining the women's ability to challenge for significant results.
With 21 athletes selected across four event categories, India will head to Aichi-Nagoya with both experience and depth. The challenge will be to convert that squad strength into another memorable Asian Games campaign for Indian sepaktakraw.
Men’s Team Regu – Team 1
Arun, Jasvir, Ashish Chundawat, Shyam Singh, Lokhon Singh Elangbam, Bobby Kumar, Ashok Singh Mayengbam, Ram Kumar Sharma, O Amarjit Singha, Malemnganba Singh Sorokhaibam, Henary Singh Wahengbam, Akash Yumnam
Men’s Quadrant – Team 1
Arun, Lokhon Singh Elangbam, Bobby Kumar, O Amarjit Singha, Malemnganba Singh Sorokhaibam, Akash Yumnam
Women’s Quadrant – Team 1
Maipak Devi Ayekpam, Priya Devi Elangbam, Shilpa Elangbam, Chaoba Devi Oinam, Seyiekhrieno Tepa, Malemnganbi Yumnam
Women’s Double – Team 1
Leirentonbi Devi Elangbam, Prity Langoljam, Menenu Tsukru
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