Indian sports wrap, September 19: Parth Jindal appointed new Tamil Nadu Judo Association president
JUDO
Parth Jindal elected president of Tamil Nadu Judo Association
Parth Jindal, the founder of JSW Sports, has been elected president of the Tamil Nadu Judo Association (TNJA), taking formal charge after serving as its interim head.
Jindal entered the association through its Thanjavur district unit, where he served as vice-president, before moving into the State body. His election places him at the helm of a programme aimed at expanding judo at the grassroots and creating a stronger pathway for Tamil Nadu’s leading judokas.
Vijaya Mohana Murali, TNJA’s former president and now chief executive officer, said Jindal supported judo for more than a decade before taking a formal role in the association. Murali also said Jindal was a brown belt in the sport.
“He has been supporting judo with zero expectations,” Murali told Sportstar. “He didn’t want to become president or anything. He didn’t have any such expectations.”
Jindal already has an established presence in Indian sport through JSW Sports and the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS), its high-performance centre in Bellari, Karnataka. Murali said that experience, coupled with Jindal’s personal association with judo, made him a suitable choice to lead the TNJA’s next phase.
The association’s immediate plan is to increase the number of qualified instructors working at the grassroots. Alongside that drive, it intends to identify, assess and further develop promising judokas, with selected athletes training at IIS and, where required, abroad.
The programme will be implemented in six-month phases over the next three years. The opening phase will concentrate on coach development and preparing existing athletes to compete at the international level.
Murali said Jindal had become interim president before the agreement involving JSW, the Tamil Nadu government and the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu was reached. He stressed that the partnership was not the reason for Jindal’s elevation but would support the association’s development plans.
According to the TNJA, the election was conducted by Advocate Elephant Rajendran, the election officer, and overseen by High Court-appointed observer Justice Govindarajan and Tamil Nadu Olympic Association observer Latha.
– Jayantho Sengupta
CRICKET
Women’s Andhra Premier League: Ranga Lakshmi smashes ton; Rayalseema beats Godavari by seven wickets
Rayalaseema XEN Stars registered a seven-wicket win against Godavari Golden Eagles in the opening match of the Women’s Andhra Premier League (WAPL) at the ACA International Stadium in Mangalagiri.
Put to bat, the 53-run stand (54 balls) between G. Udvitha (36-ball 30) and captain Henrietta Flavia Pereira (49-ball 63) took the Golden Eagles to 116 for seven. B. Anusha was the pick of the bowlers, taking three wickets while giving away just 19 runs. Stars’ chase was a team effort, with skipper E. Padmaja sealing the contest with a boundary over deep square leg.
Later, Amaravati e-Champions defeated Vizag Firebirds by 17 runs. P. Ranga Lakshmi’s century (102, 74b, 14×4, 4×6) helped e-Champions post 164 for four. V. Pushpa Latha gave Firebirds a good start to the chase, but she couldn’t find enough partnerships to take her team over the line.
The scores: Godavari Golden Eagles 116/7 in 20 overs (G. Udvitha 30, Henrietta Flavia Pereira 63, B. Anusha 3/19) lost to Rayalaseema XEN Stars 120/3 in 17.3 overs (V. Sethu Sai 33, E. Padmaja 30 n.o.).
Amaravati e-Champions 164/4 in 20 overs (P. Ranga Lakshmi 102, Deeksha Katragadda 43) bt Vizag Firebirds 146/6 in 20 overs (V. Pushpa Latha 60, Ayesha Singh 35).
-Team Sportstar
OTHER SPORTS
800 plus athletes to compete in 10th Pencak Silat Federation Cup
The 10th Pencak Silat Federation Cup, which commenced at the NDS Indoor Stadium on Saturday, will feature more than 800 athletes from over 30 States and Union Territories, along with teams from the CISF, SSB and ITBP, participating in the championship.
Ladakh Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena attended the opening ceremony, saying such events contribute to the growth of sports tourism in the Union Territory.
Pencak Silat is a traditional Indonesian martial art and combat sport that promotes discipline, physical fitness, confidence, self-defence and sportsmanship.
The Lt Governor said the participation of athletes from different parts of the country would provide an important platform not only for competitive sport but also for learning, friendship, cultural exchange and national integration.
He said promoting sports and creating greater opportunities for young athletes remains a key priority of his administration.
Saxena highlighted the New Ladakh Sports Policy 2026, announced earlier this year, which seeks to expand opportunities and support for sportspersons and further strengthen the sports ecosystem in the Union Territory.
He also highlighted the provision of 4 percent reservation in Government jobs for outstanding sportspersons, aimed at recognising sporting achievements and creating greater career opportunities for athletes who bring laurels to Ladakh.
Saxena informed that the Administration is also undertaking various initiatives for the welfare and development of sportspersons, including strengthening training and coaching facilities, sports infrastructure, exposure opportunities, competitions and other support mechanisms.
He said the Khelo India and Fit India initiatives which have provided platforms for young people to showcase their sporting talent, identify emerging talent and pursue sporting careers at the national and international levels.
“More such national and international events are in the pipeline in coming days,” he said.
Emphasising the wider economic benefits of hosting national-level sporting events, the Lt Governor said such events also contribute to the growth of sports tourism in Ladakh.
Saxena said that championships such as the Federation Cup provide athletes an opportunity to test themselves against the best, gain valuable experience and learn from fellow competitors.
“Play, learn, move forward and pursue your dreams. I am confident that our athletes will continue to excel and bring greater recognition to Ladakh and India,” he said.
– PTI
WUSHU
India to host 2028 Asian Senior Wushu Championships
India will host the Asian Senior Wushu Championships for the first time in 2028, and around 500 athletes from 42 countries across the continent are expected to participate in the competition.
The decision was officially approved at the Wushu Federation of Asia Congress held at Aichi-Nagoya, with Suhel Ahmed representing India on behalf of the Wushu Association of India at the meeting.
In another significant development, Bhupender Singh Bajwa of the Wushu Association of India was nominated as a member of the Executive Committee of the Wushu Federation of Asia during the Congress.
Apart from the athletes, coaches, judges, technical officials and sports administrators from various countries are also expected to attend the 11th edition of the championship.
Welcoming the decision, Bajwa said hosting the championship was a matter of pride for Indian Wushu but stressed that the focus must now shift towards delivering a high-quality international event.
– PTI
Published on Sep 19, 2026
