Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth says Mission Olympic Wing can produce multiple Olympic medallists

Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth on Monday, October 12, said he was confident that the Indian Army’s Mission Olympic Wing would help produce multiple Olympic medallists, as the force felicitated its athletes for their medal-winning performances at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026.

The ceremony was held at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi, where Army sportspersons who had won medals at the continental event were recognised for contributing to India’s overall sporting success. The Indian Army contingent finished with 20 medals — six gold, eight silver and six bronze — underlining the scale of its presence across disciplines.

Addressing the gathering, General Seth said the Army’s Mission Olympic Wing had been central to identifying and developing sporting talent from across the country. He said the Army had set up multiple Sports Nodes as well as Boys’ and Girls’ Sports Companies to build a steady pipeline of athletes for national and international competition.

“I want to assure the nation that, as far as the Army is concerned, we have actively established multiple Sports Nodes across the country through Mission Olympic Wing. We have Boys Sports Companies and Girls Sports Companies. As a regular talent pipeline for every major championship, we will produce new athletes and provide them opportunities to play for the country,” the Army Chief said.

Established in 2001, the Mission Olympic Wing is one of the Indian Army’s main initiatives to support promising sportspersons and prepare them for elite competition. It currently has five specialised hubs: the Rowing Node, Marksmanship Node for shooters, Equestrian Node, Sailing Node and the Army Sports Institute (ASI).

These facilities provide targeted support in their respective disciplines and are meant to help the Army identify emerging talent, sharpen performance and create opportunities for athletes to represent India at major events. The wider network of Sports Nodes and sports companies is also designed to feed talent into the national sporting system.

General Seth said the performances of Army athletes at the Asian Games had strengthened his belief that they could deliver medals at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as well. He expressed hope that several of those present at the felicitation ceremony would go on to reach the Olympic podium.

“It is my firm belief that in the coming Olympic Games, meeting the athletes today gives me full confidence that many of them will finish on the podium and win gold, silver and bronze medals for our country at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics,” he said.

The Army Chief also urged citizens to keep encouraging athletes throughout their careers. He said that while winning medals at every competition was not always possible, participation, perseverance and the effort to reach the podium remained essential to competitive sport.

“It is the duty of all us countrymen to keep encouraging them at all times because winning every time might not be possible. I won’t say that participating is enough — participating is important, but along with participating, winning a medal is also important,” General Seth said.

He said the Army would continue to back its sportspersons and voiced confidence that their discipline and hard work would bring recognition to both the force and the country on the international stage.

Among the standout performers from the Army contingent was distance runner Gulveer Singh, who won two silver medals in the 1,500-metre and 10,000-metre events, and a bronze in the 5,000 metres. His three-medal haul made him one of the most successful athletes from the Army at the Games.

Trap shooter Neeru Dhanda also produced an impressive performance, winning gold medals in the individual and mixed-team events, along with a silver in the women’s team competition. Her results reflected the contribution of Army shooters to India’s performance in shooting at the continental meet.

Marathon runner Sawan Barwal added another notable result, winning a silver medal. The report said his performance marked the first time in 44 years that an Indian had won a marathon medal at the Asian Games.

Together, these achievements formed part of the Indian Army’s overall tally of 20 medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. They also reflected the effect of the Army’s structured sporting programmes in preparing athletes for major international competition.

Dhanda, who joined the Indian Army last year, said her experience in the organisation had been enriching both personally and professionally. She said that programmes bringing athletes together offered valuable exposure and a chance to learn from one another.

“Since I recently joined the Indian Army last year, this is a distinct experience. As individuals and sportspersons, we need this kind of exposure too. It is important to gain experience through such programmes,” Dhanda told PTI.

She added that the interaction helped athletes learn beyond their own sports, including how to communicate with others and conduct themselves in different settings.

“We learn from every single thing, and sports teaches us a lot. Meeting people, learning how to interact and conduct ourselves — we are learning all of this by attending these programmes,” she said.

The Indian Army’s sports ecosystem combines specialised training, talent identification and competitive opportunity. Through the Mission Olympic Wing, Sports Nodes and dedicated sports companies, the Army aims to create a structured pathway that can take athletes from discovery to elite-level performance.

As attention now turns to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, General Seth’s remarks pointed to the Army’s aim of turning the success achieved at the Asian Games into stronger performances at the world’s biggest sporting stage. The Army said it would continue to develop athletes capable of winning medals for India while also bringing recognition to the service through their sporting achievements.