Indian sports wrap, September 25: BFI names 23-member team for Asian Youth Games
BOXING
BFI names 23-member team for Asian Youth Games
The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has announced a 23-member squad for the 3rd Asian Youth Games 2025 in Bahrain, with training camp now underway at NS NIS Patiala until October 20.
The team was selected based on performances at the 6th U-17 Junior Boys and Girls National Boxing Championship 2025, where gold medallists earned direct entry into the squad, and silver medallists were named as reserves in their respective categories.
Among the selected athletes are standout performers from the Asian U-17 Championships held in July 2025, where India clinched 43 medals and finished second overall.
“In the past few months, our young boxers have shown they can stand toe-to-toe with the best in Asia, bringing home strong results at continental and national levels.
“This camp is about building on that momentum, sharpening their skills, and preparing them to be serious medal contenders in Bahrain, while underlining the rising strength of Indian boxing,” said Ajay Singh, President, BFI.
The 14-member squad, comprising seven boys and seven girls, is backed by six coaches, two physiotherapists, and one doctor, ensuring a strong support structure for the athletes.
Among them are gold medallists Dhruv Kharb, Udham Singh Raghav, Khushi Chand, Ahaana Sharma, and Chandrika Bhoreshi Pujari, who are now sharpening their skills under head coaches Vinod Kumar (Boys U-17) and Jitender Raj Singh (Girls U-17).
-PTI
BADMINTON
Tanvi Patri, Bornil Changmai to lead 36-member Indian squad in Badminton Asia U-17 & U-15 C’ships
Asian U-15 champion Tanvi Patri and former title winner Bornil Changmai will spearhead a 36-member Indian squad at the Badminton Asia U-17 & U-15 Championships, scheduled in Chengdu, China from October 21 to 26.
Both Tanvi and Changmai will step up to the U-17 category this time as India looks to extend its strong run in the continental age-group event.
The country has enjoyed back-to-back successful campaigns in Chengdu, bagging a gold and a bronze in 2024, and finishing with one gold, one silver and a bronze in the 2023 edition.
The Indian team was selected based on the players’ performance in the just-concluded Yonex-Sunrise Ashwani Gupta Memorial All India Sub Junior (U-15 & U-17) Ranking Badminton Tournament 2025, held at Panchkula, Haryana, from September 13 to 21, 2025.
“India’s consistent success in the continental championships over the years reflects the strength of our junior development program. This squad has several promising players with the potential to bring home medals, which highlights the depth and talent within the team,” said Badminton Association of India (BAI) Secretary General, Sanjay Mishra in a release.
Sharayu Ranjane will feature in all three categories of U-15, teaming up with Soyara Shelar in girls’ doubles and Hemanth Sri Sammetla in mixed doubles.
Punith S and Deepak Raj Aditi, who will partner each other in the U-17 mixed doubles, will also be in action in boys and girls doubles respectively.
India’s Squad
U-15
Boys singles: Pushkar Sai, Wazir Singh, Prabhu Dhyani, Dhakshan SL
Girls singles: Anvi Rathore, Shaina Manimuthu, Sharayu Ranjane, Hamsini Chandram
Boys doubles: Swayamdyuti Ghosh/Shaurya Singh Rana, Vivaan Bisht/Chinmay Krishna Nimmagadda
Girls doubles: Sharayu Ranjane/Soyara Shelar, Vibhava KR/Raksha N
Mixed doubles: Hemanth Sri Sammetla/Sharayu Ranjane, Arjun A/Nayonika A
U-17
Boys singles: Bornil Akash Changmai, Jagsher Singh Khangurra, Hardik Divyash, Nishchal Chand
Girls singles: Tanvi Patri, Shantipriya Hazarika, Lakshya Rajesh, Diksha SR
Boys doubles: Charan Ram Thippana/Hari Krishna Veeram Reddy, Pavan S/Punith S
Girls doubles: Deepak Raj Aditi/P Vriddhi, Aikya Shetty/Suhina
Mixed doubles: Punith S/D Aditi, Jangjeet Singh Kajla/Jananika R.
-PTI
CYCLING
Rajasthan to host inaugural Tour de Thar
Rajasthan will host the inaugural Tour de Thar, an international-level endurance cycling event, on November 23 featuring three categories of 300km Relay, 200km, and 100km races with over 2500 national and international participants, the sports ministry has announced.
The event will be flagged off at Norangdesar village in Bikaner.
“Spanning the smooth, expansive stretches of the Amritsar-Jamnagar Expressway, the race through the sands of endurance will present Thar desert as a stage for showcasing courage and determination,” the ministry stated.
The curtain raiser of the event was organised in Delhi in the presence of Union Minister for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Union Minister for Labour and Employment and Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya.
“With Tour de Thar, Rajasthan is set to host an international-level endurance cycling event that blends sports, culture, and the unique spirit of the desert,” the ministry said.
“The event features three demanding categories — 300 km Relay, 200 km, and 100 km — designed to test every cyclist’s stamina, strength, and mental fortitude,” it added.
Over 2500 participants, including professional riders from India and abroad, will compete.
Rajasthan’s cultural heritage and tourism potential will also be promoted through this event.
“Along the route, spectators can look forward to local music performances, traditional dances, and handicraft exhibitions, creating an immersive desert festival that celebrates the state’s identity alongside the thrill of competition.”
-PTI
Published on Sep 25, 2025