Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the NDTV World Summit 2026 on Thursday, which is bringing together global leaders, policymakers, business executives and other prominent figures to discuss issues shaping India and the world.
During his address, Modi highlighted developments that he said reflected India’s expanding capabilities, including a milestone in the country’s nuclear energy programme and its performance at the recently concluded Asian Games in Japan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi then highlighted how Indian athletes fared at the recently concluded Asian Games 2026 in Japan.
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PM Modi congratulated India for winning a bronze medal in the lesser-known sport of Sepak Takraw after the men’s quadrant team won a bronze medal, which is India’s first medal in the quadrant event in the men’s and women’s categories.
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“I am now going to say a word that I hope many people in this hall have heard before. That word is Sepak Takraw. Have you heard of it? For those who haven’t, let me tell you that it is a sport played around the world and one in which medals are won. It is a unique combination of football and volleyball. The game is played with the feet, but across a net. At the recent Asian Games, India won a medal in Sepak Takraw’s men’s quadrant event for the first time. This is the identity of a changing India. There is something new happening in every field,” PM Modi noted.
He was also to point out several landmark achievements in individual and team events that underscored India’s growth as a sporting nation. He also lauded the women’s recurve archers for winning both the individual and team gold medals at the Asiad for the first time.
“I recently had the opportunity to meet our young athletes, who participated at the Asian Games. India won 85 medals, and we achieved several milestones for the first time. The women’s recurve archery team won both the team and individual titles for the first time. Indian boxers also won three gold medals at a single Asian Games for the first time,” he added.
India finished fourth in the Asian Games medal tally with 85 medals, comprising 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze.
Among the country’s achievements was a bronze medal in sepak takraw, a sport that remains relatively unfamiliar to many Indian viewers.
What Is Sepak Takraw?
Sepak takraw is a net sport that combines elements of football and volleyball. Players use their feet, knees, chest and head to control and strike a ball over a net into the opponent’s court. Unlike volleyball, players cannot use their hands or arms to play the ball.
The sport is particularly popular in Southeast Asia and demands agility, balance, flexibility, coordination and powerful aerial movements.
Players often perform acrobatic kicks to send the ball across the net, making it a visually striking sport.
At the Asian Games, sepak takraw features multiple formats, including regu, which involves three players per team, and quadrant, which involves four players per team.
How Did India Win Bronze In Sepak Takraw At the Asian Games 2026?
India secured a bronze medal in the men’s quadrant event at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
The Indian team lost 0-2 to hosts Japan in the semifinal on October 2. Japan won the two sets 15-12 and 15-13, ending India’s hopes of reaching the final.
Despite the semifinal defeat, India secured bronze in the event. The achievement marked India’s first-ever Asian Games medal in the men’s quadrant competition in this sport.
The Indian team had reached the semifinals after topping Group A, defeating Laos 2-0, Vietnam 2-0 and Myanmar 2-1.
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India’s 85-Medal Asian Games Campaign
The campaign featured strong performances across several disciplines, including archery, shooting, boxing, wrestling, cricket and hockey.
The sepak takraw bronze added to India’s medal tally and highlighted the country’s achievements beyond its more widely followed sports.
Modi has also congratulated the Indian men’s quadrant team on its bronze medal, describing the achievement as a landmark moment for Indian sepak takraw and expressing hope that it would help popularise the sport across the country.
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