Punjab Newsline,Sports :
Alisha Subudhi’s historic bronze medal highlights SAI’s focused push in non-mainstream sports
India’s karate ambitions for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan have received a significant boost, driven by structured support from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) under its Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) scheme. A recent bronze medal at a top-tier international competition has reinforced belief that consistent backing and a strong performance ecosystem can help Indian athletes excel even in non-mainstream sports.
Indian karateka Alisha Subudhi delivered a landmark performance by winning a bronze medal at the World Karate Federation (WKF) Series A Karate Championship held in Tbilisi, Georgia. With this achievement, Alisha became the first Indian woman to secure a medal at a Karate 1 – Series A event. She clinched the bronze by registering a dominant 8-0 victory over her Croatian opponent, underlining India’s growing competitiveness on the global karate stage.
Alisha’s success has been closely linked to the support extended by SAI through the TAGG scheme, which has been focusing on strengthening combat sports disciplines such as karate. The initiative aims to provide targeted funding, elite coaching exposure, and high-quality training environments to athletes with medal potential at major multi-sport events like the Asian Games.
As part of this effort, SAI funded a senior National Coaching Camp in Lucknow during November and December 2025. An assistance of Rs 1.2 crore was sanctioned under the Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSF) scheme. The 45-day camp, hosted at the SAI Regional Centre in Lucknow, featured 48 athletes and focused on match simulations, tactical refinement, psychological conditioning, and recovery protocols. Alisha was among the athletes who benefited from this intensive preparation.
Expressing gratitude for the support, the 23-year-old credited TAGG for the financial assistance and the well-structured national camp that played a key role in her preparation for the WKF Series A event.
In the absence of a recognised National Sports Federation for karate, SAI ensured uninterrupted athlete development by constituting a Karate Organising Committee. The committee has overseen selection trials, training camps, and international exposure, while maintaining adherence to international standards and anti-doping regulations. Open National Senior Selection Trials were also conducted in October 2025 at the SAI Training Centre in Shillong.
With the Asian Games approaching later this year, sustained backing through TAGG and SAI-led initiatives is expected to be crucial in strengthening India’s medal prospects in karate and other emerging sports disciplines.