RU-57-01-0299-220923/EXPLAINER

INDIA AT 19 TH ASIAN GAMES

September 22, 2023

“We are encouraging youngsters to pursue career in sports. Initiatives like TOPS are benefitting
the youngsters to prepare for major sporting events.”
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi

19 T H ASIAN GAMES - HANGZHOU, CHINA

The 19th Asian Games are set to be held in Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 08,
2023. Earlier, these games were scheduled to be held from September 10 to 25, 2022, but were
postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic cases rising in China.1 With over 12,000 athletes from 45
countries and regions competing in 40 sports, 61 disciplines, and 481 events, the 19th Asian
Games will be the largest in history.

The Hangzhou Asian Games will mark the third time that China has hosted the Asiad, following
Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010.

1
https://ocasia.org/news/2987-oca-press-release-on-hangzhou-asian-games-2022-and-shantou-asian-youth-games-2021.html
 THEME OF 19 T H ASIAN GAMES - “HEART TO HEART, @FUTURE”

“Heart to Heart, @Future” is the slogan for the Games. The unique nature of this slogan is in
keeping with Hangzhou’s status as a city of Internet. The message to the world is that people
from different countries and regions can achieve a deeper understanding on the grand stage that
is the Asian Games.

The aim is also to celebrate unity, progress, harmony, and the shared prosperity of the Olympic
Council of Asia (OCA) Family, and motivate athletes to be confident, upbeat, and undaunted by
challenges. In keeping with the Olympic motto of “Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together”, the
slogan also conveys the wish to create a better future and forge a community with a shared future
for Asia and mankind.2

“Tides Surging” is the official name

The three mascots of Hangzhou 2022

2
https://www.asia-shooting.org/2023/03/19th-asian-games-2023-technical-handbook-available-on-website/
 INDIAN CONTINGENT FOR THE 19TH ASIAN GAMES

India is sending a contingent of 921 people, including 655 athletes and 260 coaches and support
staff to take part in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. The total number of sporting
events in which India is participating this year is 39. The largest contingent will be in athletics
with 68 participants.

At the last edition of the Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018, India sent a contingent of 572 athletes
to compete in 36 sports where India returned with the highest-ever 70 medals, including 16
Golds.3

In an informal interaction with athletes of the 19th Asian Games on August 28, 2023, Union
Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Shri Anurag Singh at the Netaji Subhas National Institute
of Sports in Patiala said, "For the past few years, India has done exceptionally well in all sports.
Today our sportspersons are bringing laurels to India on the world stage. I have full faith that
India will do exceptionally well in the medal tally in the upcoming Asian Games also."

The Minister's engagement with the athletes infused new energy and determination into their
preparations, as they strive to make the nation proud.4

To see the detailed list of Indian athletes who have qualified for the 19th Asian Games, click
HERE.

3
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1952159
4
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1953044
 ESPORTS AT ASIAN GAMES 2023, INDIA NAMES 15-MEMBER TEAM

Esports is set to make its debut as a medal event at the Asian Games, with medals earned by
participants contributing to the overall medal count. Competitors will engage in seven distinct
events:
i. Arena of Valor Asian Games Version
ii. Dota 2
iii. Dream Three Kingdoms 2
iv. FIFA Online 4
v. League of Legends
vi. PUBG Mobile Asian Games Version
vii. Street Fighter V: Champion Edition.

However, India will only be represented in four of these events: Dota 2, FIFA Online 4, League
of Legends, and Street Fighter V: Champion Edition. It's noteworthy that Arena of Valor and
PUBG Mobile Asian Games Version are prohibited in India, and Dream Three Kingdoms 2 is
not accessible in the country.5

India has named a 15-member esports team to compete at the Asian Games 2023, which goes
like this:

FIFA Online 4: Charanjot Singh and Karman Singh Tikka

Street Fighter V: Champion Edition: Mayank Prajapati and Ayan Biswas

League of Legends: Akshaj Shenoy (captain), Samarth Arvind Trivedi, Mihir Ranjan, Aditya
Selvaraj, Aakash Shandilya and Sanindhya Malik

DOTA 2: Darshan Bata (captain), Krish Gupta, Abhishek Yadav, Ketan Goyal and Shubham
Goli

5
https://olympics.com/en/news/asian-games-2022-esports-india-squad-team
 ASIAN GAMES - FROM INCEPTION TO FUTURE

The Second World War had ended and Asia experienced a new awakening. The collapse of
colonialism generated an upsurge and thrust for freedom, friendship, and fraternity among the
peoples of Asia. The world was in a mess and many prominent Asian leaders who had, for years,
waged a determined struggle against the colonial despots, got together among themselves to
work for a new world order based on mutual respect and peaceful co-existence. This time,
however, the spotlight was fixed on youth—the leaders of tomorrow and what better way to
symbolise the spirit of youth than sport—an activity that brings out the best in a human being,
who competes, not only for the honour of his country but also for the Glory of Sport. It happened
that about this time, the Asian Relations Conference took place in New Delhi. An attempt was
made to invoke the cooperation of other Asian leaders in the new sports venture. The response
was positive and immediate and this marked the birth of the Asian Games movement which
today is the greatest festival of sport next to the Olympics.6

In the year 1949, the Asian Games Federation was inaugurated in New Delhi where the first
Asian Games were held in 1951.
The second rendition was organised three years later in Manila, Philippines, in 1954 with the
ensuing Games held once every four years except the current 19th Asian Games, which was
postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nine countries have hosted the Asian
Games so far, which is recognised as the world's second-largest multi-sport competition after
the Olympic Games.

6
https://yas.nic.in/sites/default/files/3881395440.pdf
The second edition of the
Asian Games in Manila in
May 1954, were formally
opened by Philippines
President Ramon
Magsaysay at the Rizal
Memorial Stadium. A total
of 970 athletes from 19
National Olympic
Committees competed in
eight sports.7

In 1981, the Asian Games Federation was renamed as the Olympic Council of Asia to
strengthen its association with the International Olympic Committee, relocating its base from
India to Kuwait where it currently resides.
The ninth edition of the Asian Games was held
again in New Delhi in November and December
1982. This marked a return to New Delhi, host
of the inaugural edition of the Games in 1951.
New Delhi thus joined Bangkok as the only
cities to host multiple editions of the Asian
Games.
The 1982 edition was the first Asian Games to
be backed by the Olympic Council of Asia. The

7
https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1059784/history-of-asian-games#manila-1954
Asian Games Federation, under whose jurisdiction the first eight Asian Games had been held,
had been dissolved.
INDIA AT ASIAN GAMES

India has consistently been a strong contender in the Asian Games since its inception in 1951.
Having taken part in every edition of this quadrennial event, India played a vital role in its
formation and had the honor of hosting the inaugural edition in New Delhi.
INDIA’S MEDAL TALLY IN EACH EDITION

India has won 672 medals at the Asian Games since the inaugural edition in 1951. During the
Asian Games in 1951, India secured an impressive total of 51 medals, consisting of 15 gold, 16
silver, and 20 bronze medals, positioning India in second place overall, trailing only behind
Japan, who claimed 60 medals. To this day, this achievement remains India's best performance in
the history of the continental Games.
India achieved its highest medal count at the Asian Games in 2018, held in Jakarta. During this
event, India secured a remarkable total of 70 medals, setting a new record. Notably, athletics
emerged as the most successful sport, contributing to 20 of these medals.
At the Asian Games 2018, Neeraj Chopra made history by becoming the first Indian to clinch a
gold medal in the javelin throw discipline. Additionally, Dutee Chand achieved a significant
milestone by winning India's first medal in the women's 100m event since PT Usha's silver
medal in 1982.
ASIAN GAMES AHEAD

What started out as an effort featuring six sports and 57 events contested by 11 countries in New
Delhi more than seven decades ago, now has grown into a mammoth Games arena featuring 40
sports, 481 events, and 41 countries in Hangzhou opening on 23rd September 2023. Only seven
countries - India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore , and Thailand -
have appeared at every edition of the Games so far.
The next and 20th Games in 2026 will be held in Japan in Aichi-Nagoya (19 September - 4
October) followed by a Middle Eastern swing through Doha in 2030 and Riyadh in 2034.8

References:

• PIB Press Release on Union Minister of Youth Affairs interacts with Asian games bound athletes dated
August 28, 2023.
• PIB Press Release on Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports sanctions 634 athletes to take part in Asian
Games dated August 25, 2023.
• https://newsonair.gov.in/News?title=22-new-athletes-added-to-updated-contingent-list-for-19th-Asian-
Games&id=467805
• https://www.asia-shooting.org/2023/03/19th-asian-games-2023-technical-handbook-available-on-website/
• https://www.hangzhou2022.cn/En/presscenter/
• https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2023/aug/doc2023825245401.pdf

Twitter links:

• https://x.com/PMOIndia/status/1622143992732454912?s=20
• https://twitter.com/search?q=india+at+asian+games+2022&ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp
%7Ctwgr%5Esearch

NR/HP/RK/PK/JA

8
https://olympics.com/en/news/hangzhou-asian-games-2023-history