Inunganbi Takhellambam: The Lesser-Known Indian Judo Prospect to Watch at Asian Games 2026

Inunganbi Takhellambam may not be among the most widely recognised names in Indian sport, but the Manipuri judoka heads into the Asian Games 2026 as a serious medal prospect after a breakthrough performance at the continental level.

Competing in the women’s 70 kg category, Takhellambam created history at the 2026 Asian Judo Championships in Ordos, China, winning a bronze medal and ending India's 13-year wait for a medal at the event. Her achievement has placed her firmly on the radar ahead of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

The significance of her Asian Championships medal goes beyond the podium finish. India’s previous senior Asian Judo Championships medal came in 2013, when Olympian Angom Anita Chanu won bronze in the women’s 52 kg category. Thirteen years later, Takhellambam brought India back onto the continental podium.

And she did it emphatically.

In the bronze-medal bout, Takhellambam defeated Mongolia’s Lkhagvadulam Sarantsetseg by ippon, using her strength in ground fighting to secure the decisive finish. The victory came after she had already navigated a difficult route through the draw, including a loss in the quarter-final and a subsequent win in the repechage.

Her success has been built over several years of development and adaptation. Takhellambam originally competed in the 63 kg category before moving permanently to 70 kg in 2021. The transition presented a major physical challenge because she was giving away significant body mass to opponents who naturally competed around the middleweight limit. Rather than relying solely on physical strength in standing exchanges, she developed a tactical approach centred around ne-waza, or ground fighting. 

Her ability to transition quickly from standing exchanges to groundwork has become one of the defining features of her game. The strategy reduces the advantage of physically stronger opponents and allows her to use technique, positioning and control to create scoring opportunities.

That approach was on full display against Sarantsetseg. After navigating the initial standing exchanges, Takhellambam was able to take the contest to the ground and execute her specialised groundwork, ultimately securing the chokehold that produced the ippon.

Her rise has also been accompanied by notable results on the international circuit. In 2025, she won gold at the Asian Open in Amman and followed it with a silver medal at the Asian Open in Hong Kong. In 2026, she reached the final block at the African Open in Dakar and later finished seventh at the Grand Slam Qazaqstan Barysy in Astana.

The Astana performance was particularly valuable because it gave Takhellambam experience against elite opposition. She defeated South Korea’s Jiyoung Yang before facing two-time Olympic medallist Sanne van Dijke of the Netherlands.

Her journey has not been without setbacks. A serious ACL injury in 2018 kept her away from competition for an extended period, while another major knee injury in 2024 required surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation programme. She eventually returned to competition and won the Senior National Championship shortly after resuming full-contact judo.

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That resilience is now an important part of her story as she prepares for the Asian Games.

Takhellambam's development has also been supported by the Inspire Institute of Sport in Bellary, where she has trained within a high-performance environment. Her coaching team includes Baye Diawara and national team mentor Angom Anita Chanu.

The Asian Games will present an even bigger challenge. The women’s 70 kg field is expected to feature strong competitors from across Asia, including nations with deep judo traditions. Takhellambam will need to combine her increasingly effective groundwork with improvements in standing exchanges to progress deep into the competition.

For Indian judo, however, her emergence is significant. Her bronze at the Asian Championships demonstrated that she can compete successfully at the senior continental level, while her performances at Asian Opens and international events provide further evidence of her progression.

Takhellambam may still be a lesser-known name among Indian sports fans, but that could change quickly. After ending a 13-year Asian Championships medal drought and winning bronze with an ippon, she now has the opportunity to make her presence felt at the Asian Games.

Inunganbi Takhellambam enters Japan not simply as a participant, but as a judoka whose recent performances have established her as a serious prospect for Indian judo.