Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Mar 29: The Indian men’s regu team etched its name in history by securing a gold medal at the Sepak Takraw World Cup 2025 in Patna. This monumental victory, achieved with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Japan in the final, is the result of nearly a decade of rigorous training at multiple Sports Authority of India (SAI) centres.
The tournament, held from March 20 to 25 at the Pataliputra Indoor Stadium, saw India’s contingent deliver an impressive performance, bagging a total of seven medals: one gold, one silver, and five bronze. While the men’s regu team secured the top podium finish, the women’s doubles team earned silver, and bronze medals were won across multiple categories, including the men’s doubles, women’s regu, mixed quad, women’s quad, and men’s quad teams.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the team’s achievement, taking to social media platform X to express his pride. “This spectacular performance indicates a promising future for India in the global Sepak Takraw arena,” he wrote.
Chief coach Hemraj credited the team’s success to years of intensive training across various SAI Training Centres (STCs) in Bawana (Delhi), Imphal, Dimapur, and Bareilly.
“These players have been honing their skills for 8-10 years at SAI centres. The support provided in terms of funding, foreign exposure, and specialized training has been instrumental in shaping this team,” Hemraj told SAI Media.
In preparation for the World Cup, SAI organized a one-and-a-half-month high-intensity training camp in Thailand, giving the players international exposure and advanced technical refinement.
With an average team age of 23, India’s Sepak Takraw squad features athletes representing Delhi, Manipur, the All India Police Sports Control Board, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and various other state teams.
Looking ahead, Hemraj emphasized their next major challenge: securing a medal at the 2026 Asian Games. “Before that, we have crucial competitions—the Men’s Asia Cup in May (Malaysia) and the World Championship in July (Bangkok, Thailand). Our aim is to maintain our winning momentum in all upcoming tournaments.”
With their historic gold medal marking a new chapter for India in Sepak Takraw, the team now sets its sights on even greater triumphs on the global stage.