Correspondent
AMDAVAD, JUN 5 (NPN): Hosts India made a dominant start to the inaugural World Yogasana Championships 2026, winning five of the first six gold medals on offer and underlining their supremacy at the sport’s biggest global event at Eka Arena, Amdavad.
West Bengal athletes Abhay Burman and Ritu Mondal led India’s golden run by securing top honours in the Traditional Yogasana Senior Male and Senior Female categories respectively before a home crowd.
Burman clinched India’s first gold medal of the championship with 63.42 points, finishing ahead of Indonesia’s Arkan Riyanto, who scored 57.23 points for silver, while Uzbekistan’s Alan took bronze with 53.21 points.
Speaking after his victory, Burman said winning the first gold medal of the inaugural World Yogasana Championships for India was a moment he would cherish forever. He said competing at home before passionate supporters had given him immense confidence and added that he was proud to contribute to India’s strong start in the historic event. Mondal followed with another gold medal for India in the Senior Female category after scoring 64.33 points. Kazakhstan’s Aizhan Kuanyshbayeva claimed silver with 58.97 points, while Hong Kong’s Lam Nga Man secured bronze with 56.98 points.
Mondal described the championship as a landmark moment for every Yogasana athlete and said winning a medal for India was a dream come true. She stated that she had begun training at the age of 12 and that achieving the feat at 20 years of age after eight years of dedication made the accomplishment even more special. She also acknowledged the support of her coach, manager and the entire team.
The only category not won by India among the first six finals was the Senior A Male event, where Singapore’s Nathaniel Tan Leong An secured gold with 55.37 points. Tanzania’s Karimu Swafi won silver with 54.99 points, while India’s Sumir Gnawali settled for bronze with 54.00 points.
India returned to the top of the podium in the Senior A Female category, where Ritu Thakur won gold with 63.50 points. Argentina’s Nabila Sol Barraza finished second with 62.04 points, while Kenya’s Awuor Saulinha claimed bronze with 53.86 points.
Roshan Thapa added another gold to India’s tally by winning the Senior B Male category with an impressive score of 65.67 points. Bangladesh’s Md Mamun Khan Babu secured silver with 58.57 points, while Kyrgyzstan’s Danil Rykov finished third with 53.55 points.
India completed its gold medal haul in the opening events when Jyoti Deurkar won the Twisting Body Individual Senior B Female title with 46.14 points. Oman’s Olimuthu Navamani took silver with 38.66 points and Japan’s Saori Kyuei claimed bronze with 38.41 points.
The inaugural World Yogasana Championships marks a significant milestone in the evolution of Yogasana, transforming the ancient Indian practice into a globally competitive sporting discipline while strengthening its pathway towards Olympic recognition.
The championship is supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Ministry of Ayush, Sports Authority of India (SAI), Sports Authority of Gujarat, Gujarat Tourism and Gujarat Yogasana Sports Association as part of efforts to establish Yogasana as a global sporting discipline and advance its Olympic aspirations.