New Delhi: Some of last year’s best performers from various sports have finally been included in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme. The government’s flagship programme provides funding and holistic support to India’s elite athletes helping them realise their potential in major events.
Shooters and boxers were the biggest beneficiaries, following a year of sustained performances at the world level. In a year featuring the Asian Games, and with the LA Olympics qualification cycle set to begin, TOPS and TAGG (Target Asian Games Group) are a crucial support system for athletes seeking personal coaches, trainers and foreign exposure.
A delay in including top performers from 2025 had caused concern among athletes looking forward to grants and support from the scheme for their training ahead of the Asian Games. HT had highlighted the anomalies in the TOPS list on December 31.
In shooting, 10m air pistol world champion Samrat Rana, new pistol sensation Suruchi Phogat — who swept through the three World Cup stages and the World Cup Final in a brilliant showing last year — and rifle 3 position shooter Niraj Kumar, who finished fifth in the world championships in November, have been included in the revised TOPS core group list. In boxing, world champion Jaismine Lamboria (57) has been upgraded from the development to the core group.
Distance runner Gulveer Singh, who set national records in the 5000m and 10,000m events, has also been moved to the core group from development. Badminton’s mixed doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila — world ranked 20 — is also part of the core group.
Tokyo Paralympic Games medallist Pramod Bhagat besides another para shuttler Naveen Sivakumar, has been included in the list. Consistency in results over time is considered when assessing the athletes. However, some athletes were surprised that their names were not considered despite consistent international performances.
The list was revised after a meeting of the Mission Olympic Cell, headed by TOPS CEO N S Johal, on Wednesday.
Niraj Kumar, a member of India’s 3P team, said being in TOPS core group will be a big help. “It will be a big support for my preparation for the Asian Games. I really appreciate that my request to include me in core group has been heard. It will help me get quality ammunition for training and also compete in RPO section (ranking points only) in tournament if I feel the need. It will help me make my plans better,” he told HT.
During the Asian Championships here in February, Niraj, who won a silver medal, wondered why he was still not in TOPS despite being picked for the India team for more than a year.
Every TOPS core group shooter gets around 150 rounds of ammunition for training. A TOPS core group athlete gets a monthly stipend of ₹50,000, besides personal coaches, foreign training, equipment and other facilities. Developmental group athletes get ₹25,000 as a monthly stipend and other facilities to prepare.
Fifty-seven athletes have been added to the TOPS development group. It includes 22 boxers, 13 shooters, and eight archers. In shooting, some of India’s best talents gunning for an Asian Games berth include World Cup Final silver medallist Sainyam, air rifle shooter Arya Rajesh Borse, who had an outstanding 2025, and seasoned trap shooter Zoravar Singh Sandhu, who won bronze in the ISSF world championships.
Promising shuttler Devika Sihag who won the Thailand Masters in February, features in the development group. Among the boxers, Abhinash Jamwal (65kg), Hitesh Gulia (70kg), Sachin (60kg), Arundhati Chaudhary (70kg) are among those included from boxing in the development group. Talented Rishabh Das (200m backstroke) is the only swimmer in the updated list.
There have been a few additions in TAGG as well. Prominent among them is Hangzhou Asian Games gold medallist javelin thrower Annu Rani. The national record holder (63.82m) will look to defend her title in the Games. Dhakshineswar Suresh has been drafted from tennis, and squash star Joshna Chinappa is also included.
There are a few big omissions as well. HS Prannoy’s form has dipped recently, and he has been left out of the core group. Deepak Punia has not been making it to the national team and his names from TOPS is excluded.
