3 athletes who have represented India in rowing at the Olympics
In a country obsessed with cricket, other sports are finally beginning to gain the recognition they deserve, thanks to the historic achievements and barrier-breaking performances of athletes like Neeraj Chopra and PV Sindhu.
However, rowing is one such sport that is still drowning amongst the rest. Due to low awareness, Indian rowers have often been overlooked. Before the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, India had no representation in rowing throughout the 104-year history of the sport at the Olympics.
Since the Sydney Olympics, this trend has been changing, with India seeing a steady increase in participation. Over the past five Olympic Games, nine Indian rowers have represented the country. Let's take a closer look at three athletes who have made their mark for India in rowing at the Olympic Games.
#3 Arvind Singh and Arjun Lal Jat
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Arvind Singh and Arjun Lal Jat represented India in the lightweight double sculls event.
Arvind Singh, hailing from the Khabra village in Uttar Pradesh, and Arjun Lal Jat, from the Nayabas village in Rajasthan, both discovered rowing while serving in the Indian Army. They were introduced to the sport by Indian Olympian Bajranglal Takhar.
Their journey together began when they were selected as reserves for the Jakarta Asian Games in 2018. Here, the two became good friends and decided to form a partnership. Arvind and Arjun clinched their first international medal as a team at the Asian Rowing Championships in Chungju, South Korea, in 2019. Both rowers have also won several medals individually.
In 2021, Arvind and Arjun secured their Olympic berth in lightweight double sculls for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics by finishing second at the Asian qualifying event in Tokyo, Japan.
The duo went on to achieve India's best-ever finish in Olympic rowing by placing 11th in Tokyo. This achievement marked an important milestone in India’s rowing history. Recently, the duo also won a silver at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023.
#2 Dattu Baban Bhokanal
Another significant name in Indian rowing is Dattu Baban Bhokanal. Dattu, hailing from Talegaon Rohila in Maharashtra, comes from a very humble background. He joined the Army to support his family after his father's demise. It was during his time in the Army that he was introduced to rowing. Despite a fear of water, Bhokanal took up the sport.
His breakthrough came in 2015 when he won a silver medal in the men’s single sculls event at the Asian Rowing Championships.
This performance helped him secure a spot at the Rio 2016 Olympics, making him the first Indian rower to qualify for the Olympics in single sculls. He was also the only Indian rower who qualified for the Rio Olympics. Although he didn't win a medal, his participation marked a significant achievement for Indian rowing.
#1 Kasam Khan and Inderpal Singh
Kasam Khan and Inderpal Singh are two individuals you cannot leave out from any conversation or list of rowers from India.
The duo were pioneers in Indian rowing and their participation in the 2000 Sydney Olympics marked India's debut in the sport at the Olympic level. They competed in the men's coxless pairs event in the quadrennial Games.
Kasam Khan, originally from the Services, started his rowing career in the coxless fours category alongside PT Paulose, Udaybir Singh, and Inderpal Singh. He later transitioned to the coxless pairs, where he achieved remarkable success.
As one of the first two Indian rowers to compete at the Olympics, Kasam Khan earned widespread recognition. A year after his historic Olympic debut, in 2001, he was honored with the Arjuna Award, becoming only the second rower to receive this prestigious accolade, following Major Parveen Oberoy.
Inderpal Singh, on the other hand, made significant contributions both as an athlete and a coach. Partnering with Kasam Khan at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Inderpal made history as one of India's first Olympic rowers.
He went on to win a bronze medal in the men’s coxless four at the 2002 Asian Games and was also awarded the Arjuna Award in the same year. A couple of years later, Inderpal Singh won a gold medal at the 2004 SAF Games in the coxless pairs event with Jenil Krishnan.
Singh continues to impact Indian rowing by nurturing young talent at the Army Rowing Node. He has mentored several future stars, including his son Parminder Singh. Adding to his legacy, his son recently won a bronze medal at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, making them one of the rare father-son duos to win medals at the Asian Games.