What Is Holding India Back in the Asian Games Medal Race?

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Every Asian Games brings renewed hopes that India will win more medals and make its mark in additional sports. Yet the gap between India and Asia’s leading sporting nations remains a recurring concern.

The reasons go beyond performance at a single tournament, reflecting social attitudes, training systems and the way talent is nurtured.

India and China are both populous nations, but China has spent decades building a structured sporting pathway from schools to international competition.

India’s development has been slower, with differences in public attitudes, government priorities, coaching continuity and early talent identification all playing a role.

For many years, families and schools have viewed education as the safest route to success and treated sport as a hobby rather than a career.

This has limited opportunities to identify and develop promising athletes from a young age.

Cricket and the Wider Sporting Landscape

Cricket’s popularity has helped strengthen India’s sporting identity, but other disciplines have not always received comparable investment, attention or audiences.

Expanding pathways in athletics, swimming, wrestling, gymnastics, fencing and shooting could broaden the country’s medal prospects without diminishing cricket’s place.

Medal celebrations matter, but sustained success depends on preparation long before major events: early identification, quality coaching, modern facilities and regular competition against strong opponents.

India also needs a deeper pool of athletes, rather than relying on a handful of stars.

Manu Bhaker’s achievements illustrate the impact of performing on major stages, but lasting progress requires several competitive athletes in each discipline, including strong reserves ready to step in when needed.

Governments, sports federations, states and private institutions can help build this system through long-term coaching, fitness and nutrition support, competition opportunities and international exposure.

The shift must also be cultural: children should be able to view sport as a viable career and have genuine opportunities to pursue it.

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Vishal Tiwari, Editorial Consultant

With over fifteen years of experience in journalism, I currently serve as Editorial Consultant at Bharat Express News Network. I am also an appointed member of the Hindi Advisory Committee under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Previously, I served as an Assistant Editor at NewsTalk, a monthly magazine focused on tribal issues. In 2014, I became the Delhi representative of an English magazine published from Lucknow, and later joined Rashtriya Sahara in 2016. During the anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare, I documented the police action during Baba Ramdev’s protest at Ramlila Maidan through photo reportage. My work also includes publishing a commemorative volume on socialist leader Raj Narain and curating an exhibition of books authored by Members of Parliament that featured works by 132 MPs. Beyond journalism, I am also a Visiting Faculty at the Delhi School of Journalism, where I share my experienc and practical knowledge with aspiring journalists.