India Name Five-Member Weightlifting Squad for Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, Mirabai Chanu Leads Challenge
India has named a five-member weightlifting squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, with Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu Saikhom leading a contingent that includes four women and one man.
Mirabai will compete in the women’s 49kg category, while Gyaneshwari Yadav has been selected for the women’s 53kg event. Seram Nirupama Devi will compete in the women’s 61 kg category, and Harjinder Kaur will represent India in the women’s 69 kg competition. Rishikanta Singh Chanambam is the lone male lifter in the squad and will compete in the men’s 60kg category.
The selection gives India representation across five weight categories as the country prepares for one of the most competitive weightlifting competitions on the Asian sporting calendar.
For Indian weightlifting, the Asian Games has traditionally provided an important benchmark. The continent features several of the world’s strongest weightlifting nations, making a medal at the event a significant achievement. The competition in Aichi-Nagoya will therefore test not only India's top lifters but also the depth of the country's next generation.
Mirabai Chanu returns to lead India.
The biggest name in the Indian squad is Mirabai Chanu, who will once again carry the country's medal hopes in the women’s 49 kg category.
Mirabai has been one of India's most consistent performers in international weightlifting over the last decade, winning medals at the Olympic Games, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Asian-level competitions.
Her presence gives India valuable experience at a major multi-sport event where managing the pressure of a single competition day is critical. Weightlifting is decided by the combined total from the snatch and clean and jerk, with athletes getting three attempts in each discipline. The margin between medal positions can often come down to a single successful lift, making tactical decisions over opening weights and subsequent attempts extremely important.
At the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games, Mirabai competed in the women’s 49kg category and finished fourth with a total lift of 191kg. She recorded 83kg in the snatch and 108kg in the clean and jerk.
While she narrowly missed out on a medal, her performance demonstrated the extremely high standard of Asian weightlifting. Aichi-Nagoya 2026 will offer Mirabai another opportunity to challenge the continent's best and improve on her result from the previous edition.
Alongside Mirabai, India has selected three other women for the Asian Games. Gyaneshwari Yadav will compete in the women’s 53 kg category, providing India with representation in one of the lighter-weight divisions. The selection marks an important opportunity to perform on a major continental stage against elite international competition.
Seram Nirupama Devi has been selected for the women’s 61kg event, while Harjinder Kaur will compete in the women’s 69kg category.
The spread across 49kg, 53kg, 61kg and 69kg gives India representation across multiple weight classes rather than concentrating the contingent in a narrow section of the competition programme.
Harjinder, in particular, brings experience from major international competitions and has previously been among India's prominent performers in women's weightlifting.
For Gyaneshwari and Nirupama, Aichi-Nagoya could provide an opportunity to establish themselves at one of the most demanding multi-sport competitions in the region.
Rishikanta Singh to represent India in men’s competition
Rishikanta Singh Chanambam is the only male lifter in the five-member Indian squad and will compete in the men’s 60kg category. His inclusion ensures India will have representation in both the men's and women's weightlifting competitions. The men's weightlifting field at the Asian Games is traditionally among the deepest in international sport, with several Asian nations possessing significant strength in the lighter weight categories.
For Rishikanta, the challenge will be to deliver his best possible six-lift competition and remain competitive against a high-quality field. Consistency will be particularly important. In weightlifting, one missed attempt can change the entire competition, while a successful lift can force opponents to alter their own strategy.
Improving on Hangzhou 2022
India's weightlifting campaign at the previous Asian Games highlighted both the competitiveness of the sport and the difficulty of reaching the medal positions. Mirabai Chanu finished fourth in the women’s 49kg event, while India's other weightlifting representatives also competed against some of the strongest lifters in the world.
The 2026 campaign will provide another opportunity to convert competitive performances into podium finishes. With Mirabai leading the squad, India have a proven performer capable of competing at the highest level. However, the broader significance of the five-member contingent lies in the opportunities available to Gyaneshwari, Nirupama, Harjinder and Rishikanta.
The Asian Games can serve as a crucial platform for lifters to gain experience against elite opposition in a high-pressure environment. For India, the immediate objective will be to produce strong totals across all five categories and challenge for medal positions where possible.
As Aichi-Nagoya 2026 approaches, the focus will be on preparation, consistency and peaking at the right time. With Mirabai Chanu once again at the forefront and four other lifters representing the country's growing weightlifting programme, India will head to the Asian Games looking to improve on its Hangzhou campaign and make a stronger impact on the continental stage.
India’s five-member weightlifting squad for the 2026 Asian Games: Mirabai Chanu Saikhom (Women’s 49kg), Gyaneshwari Yadav (Women’s 53kg), Seram Nirupama Devi (Women’s 61kg), Harjinder Kaur (Women’s 69kg) and Rishikanta Singh Chanambam (Men’s 60kg).
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