The 20th Asian Games, held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, saw strong participation and medal-winning performances by sportspersons from India. Of the 37 sportspersons from Tamil Nadu who represented India in 11 disciplines at the Games, 12 players who won 18 medals — two gold, three silver and 13 bronze — will be given Rs 6.9 crore by the state as an incentive.
Vithya Ramraj (Athletics), Baranica Elangovan (Athletics), Abinaya Rajarajan (Athletics), Vishal Thenarasu Kayalvizhi (Athletics), Kamalini (Cricket) and Hariharan (Badminton) were given a rousing welcome at the Chennai airport. Finance Minister N Marie Wilson, Sports Minister Aadhav Arjuna and officials received them along with the public. Later, in a function held at Nehru Indoor Stadium, the players received congratulatory speeches.
Athlete Vithya Ramraj, with Gold, Silver and Bronze medals to her credit, became the first sportsperson from Tamil Nadu to achieve the feat. She set a record by breaking P.T. Usha’s 42-year-old national record by clocking 54.75 seconds in the women’s 400m hurdles.
She told media persons at Coimbatore, “On breaking legendary Indian athlete P.T. Usha’s record, Indian sprinter Vithya Ramraj says, ‘I feel very proud because I broke the national record and won medals of all three colours… My parents are very happy… They are very proud of me…’”
#WATCH | Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu: On breaking legendary Indian athlete P.T. Usha's record, Indian sprinter Vithya Ramraj says, "I feel very proud because I broke the national record and won medals of all three colors… My parents are very happy… They are very proud of me…" pic.twitter.com/6uMTMbcWLK
— ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2026
TN Minister Busy Anand welcomed her at Coimbatore and presented her a shawl.
#WATCH | பி.டி.உஷாவின் சாதனையை முறியடித்து கோவை திரும்பிய தடகள வீராங்கனை வித்யா ராம்ராஜை வரவேற்ற அமைச்சர் என். ஆனந்த்#VidhyaRamraj #AsianGames #NAnand #News18TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/DqPnICTkUx
— News18 Tamil Nadu (@News18TamilNadu) October 3, 2026
She received a rousing welcome when she landed in Coimbatore, with fans, the public and others turning up before she spoke to media persons who were waiting for her.
"பி.டி. உஷாவின் சாதனையை முறியடித்திருப்பது மிகவும் மகிழ்ச்சி..!" ஆசிய விளையாட்டில் தடகளத்தில் தங்கம் உள்பட 3 பதக்கங்கள் வென்று கோவை திரும்பிய தடகள வீராங்கனை வித்யா ராம்ராஜுக்கு உற்சாக வரவேற்பு#Coimbatore | #AsianGames | #Sports | #PTUsha | #Vidhyaramraj | #PolimerNews pic.twitter.com/H2oXkpv7zE
— Polimer News (@polimernews) October 3, 2026
Vithya Ramraj, the daughter of a truck driver from Coimbatore, has two more siblings, all women. She had an identical twin, Nithya, who is also an athlete. Vithya won two silver and one bronze medal in the 2023 Asian Games.
Beautiful family!
Father is a truck driver from Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India.
One of the three daughters to her parent !
She has an identical twin, Nithya, who is also athlete
Won 2 silver 1 bronze in 23 Asian games.
Now again 3 medals including gold in 2026! pic.twitter.com/wxSfJ8fefW
— Thamari Kannan – "Say No To Drugs & DMK" (@AIADMK_MGR_JJ) September 29, 2026
A 29-year-old Baranica Elangovan, a native of a village near Mayiladuthurai, won India’s first-ever pole vault medal in the Asian Games. The athlete from Tamil Nadu cleared 4.15m to bag a bronze medal for the country. In fact, she is the first Indian to win a pole vault medal at one of the following three big events: the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.
She earlier this year set a national record at 4.23m at the National Indoor Athletics Championships at Bhubaneswar, breaking Rosy Meena’s 4.21m set previously. She finally went for 4.25m but failed to clear it in three attempts. In May, she also won gold medals at the Indian Open Athletics Series in Chennai and the 29th National Senior Athletics Competition at Ranchi. At both events, she did 4.10m.
Baranica (28) comes from an agricultural family background in Sethragopalapuram near Mayiladuthurai. Her relatives told “she has been active in sports since her childhood, especially in the pole vault discipline. She was attending special programmes conducted by the central government in Odisha. Her parents thanked the governments for announcing Rs. 30 lakhs to our daughter. She has made us proud, and the entire Tamil Nadu.”
"இந்த மெடல் ரொம்ப ரொம்ப ஸ்பெஷல்.." – ஆசிய விளையாட்டில் போல் வால்ட் போட்டியில் வெண்கலம் வென்ற பரணிகா இளங்கோவன் மகிழ்ச்சி பேட்டி..#ParanikaIlangovan | #PoleVault | #AsianGames | #Bronze | #PolimerNews pic.twitter.com/C8Ycwh1xbe
— Polimer News (@polimernews) October 2, 2026
Speaking to media, she said, “This medal was special for me. Though I won Bronze, next time it will be gold. I am confident.” Baranica was a long jumper as well as a sprinter, but later took up pole vault at college. She entered the record books as the first Indian, male or female, ever to stand on the podium at the Olympics, Asian Games or Commonwealth Games, traditionally considered the big three multi-sport competitions globally.
Baranica’s long-time coach Milber Bertrand Russell said, “The next targets will be to consistently improve her personal best and move towards the 4.40-4.50m level. Beyond that, we want her to compete strongly at major international competitions and continue improving her position at the world level.”
Vishal won bronze medals in the mixed 4x400m relay and men’s 4x400m relay. Abinaya won bronze in the women’s 100m relay, while pole vaulter Baranica won a bronze medal.
ஜோலார்பேட்டை டூ ஜப்பான்.. ஆசிய விளையாட்டில் 2 பதக்கங்கள் வென்ற தடகள வீரர் விஷால்..#Athlete | #AsianGames | #Bronze | #PolimerNews pic.twitter.com/dP20zuYugV
— Polimer News (@polimernews) October 2, 2026
The state government has announced that they will be given Rs 6.9 crore as an incentive. Abhay Singh will receive Rs 80 lakh for his silver in squash men’s singles and bronze in the men’s team event.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has announced cash incentives to a number of players. Squash players Joshna Chinappa and Shameena Riyaz, and sailor Nethra Kumanan will receive Rs 30 lakh. So will Velavan Senthilkumar and Abhay Singh. They clinched the Bronze Medal in the Men’s Team event. Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar will each receive Rs 60 lakh for their medals in squash. Players who won bronze medals will receive Rs 30 lakh each.
Abinaya Rajarajan, who won a bronze medal in the 4x100m Mixed Relay, will also get Rs 30 lakh. Vishal TK and Rajesh Ramesh, who helped India secure a bronze medal in the Men’s 4x400m Relay, will also get Rs 30 lakh each. Baranica Elangovan, who won the bronze in women’s pole vault, will also receive Rs 30 lakh.
Sprinter Vithya Ramraj, who won three medals across three different track events, will receive Rs 75 lakh from the Tamil Nadu government. CM Vijay earlier announced Rs 30 lakh for Vithya, also spelt as Vidya. But, after her historic achievements, the amount was first increased to Rs 50 lakh, then to Rs 75 lakh.
Hariharan Amsamarunan will receive Rs 30 lakh reward, who won a bronze medal for the men’s badminton team. Wicketkeeper-batter Gunalan Kamalini, who was a part of India’s gold medal-winning team, will receive Rs 75 lakh.
Elavenil Valarivan won two silver medals. Born in Tamil Nadu, she has received Rs 1.33 crore from the Gujarat government since she represents the state in domestic sports. However, the Tamil Nadu government also rewards Rs 50 lakh for each silver medal.
CM Vijay in a tweet on X said, “I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to sailor Nethra Kumanan, who has brought pride to Tamil Nadu and India by winning a bronze medal in the women’s dinghy sailing event at the ongoing Asian Games in Japan. Sailor Nethra Kumanan’s victory will give new inspiration to the young sportsmen and sportswomen of Tamil Nadu. Best wishes for her to achieve many more successes and new milestones in the future.”
Athlete Abinaya Rajarajan told media persons that, after consecutive defeats for four years and her family questioning the spending of more money, her winning medal changed everything and demolished the cynical perspectives.
She said, “In the beginning, when I faced defeat after defeat, people around us told my family not to waste money by sending a girl to pursue sports. Despite this, my father ignored the naysayers and gave me his full confident support.”
"பெண்களுக்கு பிடித்ததை செய்ய விட வேண்டும்; வெளி உலகத்திற்கு அவர்கள் செல்ல வேண்டும்"
தடகள வீராங்கனை அபிநயா ராஜராஜன்#AbhinayaRajarajan #WomenEmpowerment #Athletics #Sports #News18TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/yTPcW7wrZQ
— News18 Tamil Nadu (@News18TamilNadu) October 3, 2026
She said, “We should do what they want and they should be allowed to go outside into the world as they have a lot of dreams.”
“ஒலிம்பிக்கில் பதக்கம் வெல்வதே லட்சியம்! பல தோல்விகளுக்குப் பின்பு வெற்றி கிடைத்தது சந்தோஷமாக உள்ளது. பெண்களை வெளியே செல்ல அனுமதிக்க வேண்டும்; அவர்களுக்கு நிறைய கனவுகள் உள்ளன” – தடகள வீராங்கனை அபிநயா
Abinaya | Athlete | Indian Athletics#WomenInSports #SportsMotivation… pic.twitter.com/u8IjmgxTjO
— News Tamil 24×7 (@NewsTamilTV24x7) October 3, 2026
She told media persons in Thoothukudi, “I’m so happy that I won a bronze medal at the age of 19. This wouldn’t be happening without government support and support from my parents’ side also. It’s not quite easy to be a woman and come out at the age of 19 and get a bronze medal in the Asian Games… Next, I want to break the national record. Soon I’ll break the national record, and I’ll qualify individually in world-class competitions as well as in the Olympics…”
