Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Indian dressage team wins historic Asian Games gold medal

The last time the sport of equestrian contributed to India’s Asian Games tally was in 1986 when the country won a dressage bronze

Indian dressage team wins historic Asian Games gold medal

In a historic achievement, India's dressage team clinched its first-ever Asian Games gold medal, marking only the second victory in this discipline's history. The quartet of Sudipti Hajela, Divyakriti Singh, Vipul Hriday Chheda, and Anush Agarwalla successfully lived up to the high expectations on Tuesday (26) in Hangzhou.

The Indian quartet was performing well in the selection trials as their scores either matched or were better than the Asian Games medal winners from the previous editions. It was more about the colour of medal they would win and they grabbed the top place on the podium by aggregating 209.205 percentage points, leaving behind China (204.882 %) and Hong Kong (204.852%).


The last time the sport of equestrian contributed to India's Asian Games tally was in 1986 when the country won a dressage bronze. In the 1982 edition in New Delhi, the Indian team had grabbed three gold medals in Eventing and Tent Pegging competitions.

Raghubir Singh had won a gold in individual Eventing in 1982 and then added another yellow metal in Team Eventing alongside Ghulam Mohammed Khan, Bishal Singh and Milkha Singh.

Rupinder Singh Brar won the third gold medal in individual tent pegging.

In dressage, the horse and rider are judged on how they perform a series of movements. Each movement is marked out of 10 (from 0 to 10). Each rider gets an overall score and from there, a percentage is worked out. The rider with the highest percentage is the winner of his class.

Top three scorers in a team are counted to determine the winner. The Indian team is an interesting mixture of riders.

The 21-year-old Sudipti, the youngest of the quartet, was born in Indore, in India’s Madya Pradesh and currently trains at Pamfou in France. She began horse riding at the age of six as a hobby but later took it seriously as a sport on the insistence of her father. The name of her horse is Chinski.

The 23-year-old Divyakriti, hailing from Jaipur, in the Indian state of Rajasthan took to horse riding when she was in the seventh grade at the famous Mayo College Girls School in Ajmer. She was the equestrian captain of her school. She did her graduation in Delhi's Jesus and Mary College. In 2020, she moved to Europe for training as equestrian infrastructure is not the best in India. She was training at Hagen ATW in Germany before the Asian Games. She rides Adrenalin Firfod.

Hailing from Mumbai, Maharashtra in the western region of India, the 25-year-old Vipul, a business management degree holder from University of London, also began horse riding at a young age. Since 2013, he began training with top foreign players in Europe. Interestingly, he began work to start a top class riding facility and first breeding programme for dressage horses in the country. He rides Chemxpro Emerald.

The 23-year-old Anush hails from Kolkata in the Indian state of West Bengal and he is also currently based in Borchen in Germany. He developed his passion for horse riding after his parents took him to a club in Kolkata.

He soon began having horse riding lessons at the age of eight. After having difficulties in finding a coach, he left India in 2017 and moved to Germany.

He became the first male dressage rider from India to compete at the world championships at the 2022 edition in Herning, Denmark. His horse's name is Etro.

(PTI)

More For You

Manchester Police probes over 1,000 child sexual abuse suspects

Photo for representation. (iStock)

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Manchester Police probes over 1,000 child sexual abuse suspects

GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE is now investigating more than 1,000 child sexual abuse suspects, following years of public criticism and institutional failings in tackling child sexual exploitation.

A new report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has revealed the force has made “significant improvements” in dealing with group-based sexual abuse and related crimes.

Keep ReadingShow less
Diwali

This year’s Diwali event will still see Belgrave Road continue to host what is left of the festival. (Representational image)

Major changes announced for Leicester’s Diwali celebrations amid safety fears

LDRS

THIS year’s annual Diwali celebrations will be stripped back amid public safety fears. Leicester City Council has said there will be no fireworks or stage entertainment as part of major changes announced for the event.

Cossington Street Recreation Ground will also not be used for the festivities, the council has revealed. The green space previously was the location for the main stage and the Diwali Village with its food stalls, funfair rides, fashion and arts. The annual fire garden display was also based there, offering “a peaceful oasis amid the festive excitement”.

Keep ReadingShow less
Corbyn- Zarah Sultana

Zarah Sultana with Jeremy Corbyn during a protest outside Downing Street demanding the UK government to stop all arms sales to Israel. (Photo: X/@zarahsultana)

X/@zarahsultana

Zarah Sultana leaves Labour, plans new party with Corbyn and independents

FORMER Labour MP Zarah Sultana has announced her resignation from the party and plans to launch a new political party alongside ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and other independent MPs and activists.

Sultana, who represents Coventry South, lost the Labour whip last year for supporting the removal of the two-child benefit cap.

Keep ReadingShow less
Hasmukh Shah

The certificate was presented to Shah at the Welsh parliament by Anita Bailey, Home Office Director Windrush Unit.

Hasmukh Shah receives UK minister’s certificate of appreciation

A prominent Asian doctor has been recognised for his services to the community. Prof Hasmukh Shah has received a certificate of appreciation for his contribution and services to the United Kingdom.

The certificate was issued by Seema Malhotra MP, UK Minister for Migration and Citizenship, as part of the Windrush Cymru Elders and Race Council Cymru’s Windrush work in Wales.

Keep ReadingShow less
Dalai-Lama-Getty

Dalai Lama looks on as offerings presented by Buddhist followers are laid on a table during a Long Life Prayer offering ceremony at the Main Tibetan Temple in McLeod Ganj, near Dharamsala, India, on June 30, 2025.(Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

India says Dalai Lama alone can decide successor

A SENIOR Indian minister has said that only the Dalai Lama and the organisation he has established have the authority to decide his successor as the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. The comment runs contrary to China’s long-standing position on the matter.

The Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959 following a failed uprising against Chinese rule, said on Wednesday that after his death he would be reincarnated as the next spiritual leader, and that only the Gaden Phodrang Trust would be able to identify his successor. He had earlier said that the next Dalai Lama would be born outside China.

Keep ReadingShow less