Paris Olympics 2024 Indian rowing squad: Complete list of rowers in the Indian contingent
The hopes of Indian rowing at the Paris Olympics 2024 will rest solely on the shoulders of Balraj Panwar, the lone representative in the Indian rowing squad. The 25-year-old from Nuh in the Mewat district of Haryana is gearing up for his Olympic debut with the aim of securing India’s first-ever Olympic medal in rowing.
Trained by Bajrang Lal Takhar, India’s first gold medalist in rowing at the 2010 Asian Games and a participant in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Panwar has shown immense potential. Competing in the men’s single sculls, Panwar aims to achieve what no Indian rower has done before—reach the semifinals and possibly win a medal.
India's participation in Olympic rowing began at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where Kasam Khan and Inderpal Singh competed in the men’s coxless pairs. Since then, India has consistently participated in Olympic rowing events but has yet to secure a medal.
The most recent outing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics saw Arvind Singh and Arjun Lal Jat finish 11th in the lightweight men’s double sculls. Panwar’s entry into the men’s single sculls event brings renewed hope for Indian rowing.
How did Balraj Panwar qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024?
Balraj Panwar secured his spot on the Indian rowing team at the Paris Olympics by winning a bronze medal in the men’s single sculls (M1x) event at the Asian and Oceanian Rowing Olympic Qualification Regatta in Chungju. His remarkable timing of 7:01.27 clinched third place behind Vladislav Yakovlev of Kazakhstan (6:59.46) and Memo from Indonesia (6:59.74).
This achievement marked a significant milestone in Panwar’s rowing career, which began just three years ago. Balraj Panwar's journey has been marked by some near-misses as well. At the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, he narrowly missed out on a bronze medal. However, the Indian rower now aims to not only achieve India’s best-ever finish at the Olympics but also win a historic medal on the world’s biggest stage.