Pushpa Rana will lead the Indian women’s kabaddi team at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games as India look to defend their gold medal. The appointment makes Rana the latest captain in a strong Indian women’s kabaddi tradition and gives her an important role in one of the country’s biggest sporting events of the year. The Pushpa Rana Asian Games 2026 campaign will begin on September 21 when India face Bangladesh in their opening Group A match.
Rana becomes only the fourth woman to captain India in kabaddi at the Asian Games, following Tejeswini Bai, Payel Chowdhury and Ritu Negi. She takes over the leadership role from Negi, who guided India to gold at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. With Negi and former vice-captain Sonali Shingate still part of the squad, Rana will have experienced players around her during the tournament.
Pushpa Rana Kabaddi Captain: A New Leadership Chapter
The Pushpa Rana kabaddi captaincy comes after several years of experience at the highest level. Rana, who comes from Millah village in the Shillai region of Himachal Pradesh, has been part of India’s successful recent campaigns. She was a member of the gold-winning squad at the 2022 Asian Games and also played a role in India’s 2025 World Cup triumph.
Rana has previously served as vice-captain, giving her familiarity with the responsibilities that come with leading the national side. She has also spoken about the challenge of defending India’s position at the top of Asian women’s kabaddi. Rather than seeing expectations as pressure, she believes the achievements of the previous generation should motivate the current squad to continue that momentum.
India Women’s Kabaddi Team 2026 Squad
India Women’s kabaddi team 2026 squad features a combination of experience and younger players. Alongside captain Pushpa Rana, the 12-member squad includes Ritu Negi, Sonali Shingate, Pooja Kajla, Sanju Devi, Ritu Sheoran, Jyoti Thakur, Pinki Roy, Manisha Kumari, Bhavna Thakur, Raj Rani and Nikita Kumari.
Pooja Kajla brings additional experience to the group as an Arjuna Awardee. The presence of Negi and Shingate could also provide valuable support to Rana as India navigate the pressure of another Asian Games campaign.
India Women Kabaddi Asian Games Campaign
India have a strong record in the women’s Asian Games kabaddi competition. The event was introduced to the women’s programme in 2010, and India have won three of the four gold medals contested in 2010, 2014 and 2022. Their only defeat came against Iran in 2018.
Chinese Taipei will remain an important rival after India edged them 26-25 in a dramatic final at Hangzhou. India will begin their 2026 campaign in Group A against Bangladesh on September 21 before facing Iran on September 23 and hosts Japan on September 24.
The semifinals are scheduled for September 25, followed by the gold medal match on September 26. For Rana and her teammates, the target is clear: continue India’s strong Asian Games record and bring another women’s kabaddi gold medal home.
