Vedaant Madhavan Named in India’s Asian Games Swimming Squad

Vedaant Madhavan has been named in India’s 12-member swimming squad for the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, joining two-time Olympians Srihari Nataraj and Sajan Prakash in the national contingent.

The swimming programme at the continental event is scheduled to run from September 20 to 25 at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Vedaant will contest the men’s 200m freestyle and men’s 200m backstroke, and he has also been selected for India’s men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team.

The 21-year-old enters the squad after recording a personal best of 1:53.89 while finishing fourth in the men’s 200m freestyle final at the national championships in June. His selection places him among a group tasked with helping India pursue its first Asian Games swimming medal since 2014.

India’s leading names and event entries

Srihari Nataraj and Sajan Prakash bring Olympic experience to the team. Srihari, who represented India at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, is listed for the men’s 50m backstroke. Sajan, an Olympian at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, will compete in the men’s 100m butterfly and 200m butterfly.

Aryan Nehra has also been included following a record-breaking domestic season. He became the first Indian swimmer to go below eight minutes in the 800m freestyle, setting a national record of 7:59.36, and also broke the national record in the 1500m freestyle. He will race both distance events in Aichi-Nagoya.

Rohit Benedicton is another notable selection after lowering his own national record in the men’s 50m butterfly twice on the same day at the national championships. His programme includes the 50m butterfly, 100m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle relay and 4x100m medley relay.

The squad also features Rishabh Das in the 50m and 100m backstroke, Akash Mani in the 50m and 100m freestyle, and Utkarsh Santosh Patil in the 100m and 200m backstroke. Heer Gitesh Shah is selected for the 50m freestyle and 4x100m freestyle relay, while Dhakshan Shashikumar will compete in the 400m freestyle and 4x200m freestyle relay.

Aneesh Sunil Kumar Gowda has been entered in the 200m and 400m freestyle as well as both the 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays. Danush Suresh completes the group, with entries in the 50m and 100m breaststroke and the 4x100m medley relay.

Medal wait provides the Aichi-Nagoya context

Several members of the selected squad also competed at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow last month. Sajan reached the final of the 200m butterfly, Srihari progressed to the 100m backstroke semi-finals, and Aryan contested the finals of the 800m and 1500m freestyle.

India will head to Aichi-Nagoya looking to end a 12-year wait for an Asian Games swimming medal. Sandeep Sejwal was the last Indian swimmer to reach the podium at the event, winning bronze in the men’s 50m breaststroke at Incheon 2014.

India did not win a swimming medal at Hangzhou 2023, despite the team recording six national records. The 2026 selection therefore combines Olympic experience, recent national-record performances and relay depth across freestyle and medley events as the swimmers prepare for the September competition.