Kolkata, Oct 26 — The Sports Authority of India (SAI), Kolkata, on Monday felicitated Asian Games medallists Sahil Rajesh Jadhav and Kirti Sharma for their gold-medal-winning performances in archery at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Rower Satnam Singh was also felicitated for winning a bronze medal in the men's double sculls event at the continental sporting extravaganza.
Apart from these star sportspersons, their coaches Haresh Kumar, Udham Singh and Inderpal Singh were also present on the occasion. Haresh Kumar coaches Sahil at SAI NCOE Kolkata, while Udham Singh coaches Kirti at SAI STC Hazaribagh. Arjuna Awardee Shri Inderpal Singh – a coach at SAI Jagatpur – guides Satnam Singh.
Sahil thanked his coach Haresh Kumar and reiterated the role of SAI behind his success.
“I want to thank my coaches at SAI for their guidance. It is important to stay grounded and continue to work hard after achieving success,” he said.
Satnam recounted the hard work and mental battles he had to go through before winning India’s first-ever Asian Games medal in the men’s double sculls event.
“I was confident of winning a medal in the men’s quadruple sculls. But at the last moment I was told to compete in the double sculls. I was not confident initially, but was determined to give my best,” he said.
“We had never won a medal in that event earlier. Now that me and my partner Salman Khan have removed that psychological barrier, it has opened the road for more medals in the double sculls in the future.”
Sibananda Mishra, regional director, SAI NCOE, lauded the athletes and their coaches for making India proud at the international stage. “The achievements of Sahil Rajesh Jadhav, Kirti Sharma and Satnam Singh are a matter of immense pride for the country.
Their performances at the Asian Games 2026 reflect the dedication, perseverance and competitive spirit that define Indian sport. SAI congratulates the athletes and their support teams and wishes them continued success in their future endeavours,” he said.
Archers Sahil and Kirti emerged as gold medallists at the Asian Games, showcasing India's growing strength in international archery.
Sahil won two gold medals – emerging champion in the men’s compound team event and mixed compound team event - while Kirti was part of the trio that won a historic gold in the women’s recurve event. Sahil also secured a quota spot for India in the mixed compound event for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, marking a significant milestone in the country's preparations for the next edition of the Summer Olympics.
Rower Satnam Singh's bronze-medal-winning performance in the men's double sculls event further highlighted India's competitive presence in rowing at the Asian level. His achievement was acknowledged as a testament to the discipline, resilience, and hard work required to excel in a physically demanding sport.