MYAS and SAI support 222-member Indian youth contingent for Asian Youth Games 2025

New Delhi, October 18 (IANS). India is set to make an impressive mark at the 3rd Asian Youth Games to be held in Bahrain from October 22 to 31 with a contingent of 222 athletes across 21 sports. Supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) and Sports Authority of India (SAI), the young Indian athletes will also be joined by 90 coaches, physios and officials, taking the total number of Indian delegations to 312. India’s 222-member contingent includes 31 athletes from athletics from 4 from 8 from 1 to 1 boxing, 1 from 1 boxing, handball, and 10 each from taekwondo, wrestling, and weightlifting. The largest representation of women will be from athletics and handball, reflecting the rise of young female athletes across the country. Former Olympic medalist wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt is the country’s chief of mission. Many of the 119 female and 103 male athletes are results of major government schemes, such as Khelo India, Target Olympic Podium Scheme Development, and National Center of Excellence. The Ministry has approved the participation of the contingent at full government expense, which includes expenses for SAI travel, accommodation, food, insurance and ceremony kit. India’s young athletes will compete in major Olympic sports such as athletics, swimming, badminton, boxing, wrestling, weightlifting and judo, as well as emerging sports such as Kurash, Pencak Silat and Teqball. SAI’s medical team and physios will also be with the contingent to ensure that the athletes receive round-the-clock support. Special attention was paid to anti-doping measures, including mandatory pre-departure testing by NADA (National Anti-Doping Agency) and the physical and mental preparation of the team. Nearly 4,000 athletes from 45 countries will compete in 259 categories across 26 sports at the 2025 Asian Youth Games in Bahrain. The event is the Asian qualifier for the 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal. The pan-Asian multi-sport event, which will be held in Bahrain from October 22 to 31, will be held for the first time since the last event was held in 2013. –IANS SUIT