Asian Games 2026: Eight Medal-Winning Performances by LPU Student-Athletes
Asian Games 2026: Eight Medal-Winning Performances by LPU Student-Athletes
Indian athletes studying at Lovely Professional University (LPU) have produced eight medal-winning performances at the 20th Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with medals coming across shooting, weightlifting and rowing.
According to the university, 58 LPU students are representing India across 15 sports at the Asian Games. The eight medal-winning performances have contributed to India's medal tally while highlighting the participation of student-athletes competing at the continental level alongside their higher education.
LPU Athletes Among India's Asian Games Medal Winners
Shooting has accounted for several of the medal-winning performances.
Elavenil Valarivan has won two silver medals in shooting — one in the Women's 10m Air Rifle individual event and another as part of the Women's 10m Air Rifle team.
Himanshu Dhillon has also secured two silver medals, winning one in the Men's 10m Air Rifle individual event and another as part of the team event.
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu added a silver medal in the Women's 49kg weightlifting event.
Sonam Uttam Maskar and Vidarsa K. Vinod were part of the Women's 10m Air Rifle team that won silver.
In rowing, Satnam Singh and Salman Khan contributed to India's medal tally with a bronze medal.
LPU's Medal-Winning Performances
| Athlete | Sport | Event | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elavenil Valarivan | Shooting | Women's 10m Air Rifle Individual | Silver |
| Elavenil Valarivan | Shooting | Women's 10m Air Rifle Team | Silver |
| Himanshu Dhillon | Shooting | Men's 10m Air Rifle Individual | Silver |
| Himanshu Dhillon | Shooting | Men's 10m Air Rifle Team | Silver |
| Saikhom Mirabai Chanu | Weightlifting | Women's 49kg | Silver |
| Sonam Uttam Maskar | Shooting | Women's 10m Air Rifle Team | Silver |
| Vidarsa K. Vinod | Shooting | Women's 10m Air Rifle Team | Silver |
| Satnam Singh & Salman Khan | Rowing | Team event | Bronze |
The document states that India had won 14 medals at the Games at the time of the report, with eight medal-winning performances coming from LPU student-athletes.
58 LPU Students Representing India
The medal-winning performances are part of a much larger LPU presence at the Asian Games.
A total of 58 LPU students are representing India across 15 sports.
The representation is spread across:
| Sport | LPU Athletes |
|---|---|
| Canoeing & Kayaking | 10 |
| Shooting | 9 |
| Hockey | 8 |
| Wrestling | 7 |
| Rowing | 6 |
| Archery | 5 |
| Athletics | 3 |
| Boxing | 3 |
| Aquatics/Swimming | 1 |
| Badminton | 1 |
| Cricket | 1 |
| Weightlifting | 1 |
| Karate | 1 |
| Rugby | 1 |
| Wushu | 1 |
Canoeing & Kayaking has the largest representation with 10 athletes, followed by shooting with nine and hockey with eight. Wrestling has seven representatives, while rowing has six and archery has five.
The remaining athletes are spread across athletics, boxing, aquatics/swimming, badminton, cricket, weightlifting, karate, rugby and wushu.
Balancing Higher Education and High-Performance Sport
The LPU report highlights the challenge and opportunity of athletes pursuing higher education while competing at the highest levels.
According to the document, LPU's sporting ecosystem provides specialised sporting infrastructure, professional coaching, sports scholarships, performance-focused training and academic support.
The university's sports ecosystem covers disciplines including athletics, shooting, fencing, boxing, hockey, wrestling, weightlifting, karate, judo, badminton and archery, among others.
LPU also provides sports-based scholarships and financial support based on sporting performance, alongside access to sports facilities.
Speaking about the role of universities in supporting sporting talent, LPU Founder Chancellor Dr Ashok Kumar Mittal said:
"Our vision is to build an ecosystem where sporting talent receives the same depth of institutional support as academic excellence."
He also highlighted professional training, modern facilities and flexibility for athletes to continue their education alongside high-performance sport.
From Olympics to the Asian Games
The 2026 Asian Games participation builds on LPU's recent presence at major international sporting events.
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, 24 LPU students represented India, according to the university. The document states that this accounted for 21% of India's Olympic contingent.
At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, 13 LPU students represented India, including athletes from hockey, athletics, wrestling and javelin.
With 58 LPU students representing India at the 2026 Asian Games, the university's presence has expanded across a wider range of sporting disciplines.
India's Asian Games Campaign and LPU's Contribution
The LPU contingent at Aichi-Nagoya extends well beyond the athletes who have reached the podium.
The 58 representatives competing across 15 sports include athletes in team sports, individual events and multiple Olympic and Asian Games disciplines.
Among them, eight medal-winning performances have come in shooting, weightlifting and rowing, with silver medals forming the majority of the medals highlighted in the report.
For the athletes involved, the results represent both international sporting achievement and the continuation of their academic journeys.
As India's campaign at the Asian Games continues, the participation of student-athletes across multiple disciplines provides another example of the intersection between higher education and high-performance sport.
Source: Lovely Professional University report, Asian Games Medal Glory: Eight Indian Athletes Studying at LPU Reach the Podium.