Manu Bhaker to Jyothi Vennam – Indian medallists at FISU World University Games

The 2025 World University Games is all set to commence on Wednesday, in Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region in Germany.

Over 300 student athletes from India, which includes the likes of pole vault national record holder Dev Meena and others, will make their presence felt in the competition which is often dubbed as "Olympics for University athletes."

As the young contingent gears up for what is the biggest test of their budding sporting careers yet, The Bridge takes a look at how India has performed at the World University Games over the years.

1973 Moscow Games

India bagged their first medal at the World University Games in the 1973 edition in Moscow, USSR.

Sambadi Boroute bagged a bronze in women's 48 wrestling, which was an optional sport back then.

1979 Mexico Games

India waited six more years to win yet another medal at the World University Games. They finally opened their account when Bal Nandan clinched silver in men's singles tennis back in 1979.

2007 Bangkok Games

After the 1979 edition, India had to wait until 2007 before adding to their medal tally at the World University Games. It would also turn into the country's best outing then as they bagged a total of two medals.

Harveen Sarao was the star of the show for India, winning the women's 10m air pistol gold. It marked India's first ever gold medal in the event.

The women's 10m air pistol team also brought home a bronze to cap off a successful campaign.

2011 Shenzhen Games

The 2011 Games in Shenzhen, China saw Harveen Sarao once again clinch the gold medal in women's 10m air pistol.

The women's 10m air pistol team also upgraded their bronze to gold, while the women's compound archery team bagged a bronze medal as India returned home with three medals.

2013 Kazan Games

The 2013 World University Games in Kazan, Russia was a forgettable one for India. After three medals and a gold in 2011, India could muster only a solitary medal in 2013.

Indrajeet Singh, in men's shotput, was the only shining light for India, claiming the silver medal.

2015 Gwangju Games

The 2015 World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea saw India bag a total of five medals – their highest so far.

Indrajeet Singh upgraded his silver from the previous edition to a men's shotput gold, while the mixed compound archery team which included a young Jyothi Surekha Vennam bagged silver.

In shooting, three Indian teams – men's trap, men's 10m air rifle, and men's 25m rapid fire pistol – won a bronze apiece.

2017 Taipei Games

The 2017 Games in Taipei once again saw a dip in India's performance.

Sanjivani Jadhav, in women's 10,000m, won the silver medal. That would remain India's only podium in this edition of the World University Games.

2019 Naples Games

The 2019 World University Games in Naples, Italy saw Dutee Chand make a mark by winning the gold medal in women's 100m.

Elavenil Valarivan bagged women's 10m air rifle silver, while also winning a bronze with women's 10m air rifle team.

Angadi Vir Singh Bajwa took home a bronze in men's individual skeet as India won four medals.

2023 Chengdu Games

The 2023 edition in Chengdu, China was India's most successful campaign at the World University Games. It was supposed to be held in 2021 but was delayed by two years due to the prevailing covid-19 pandemic.

Led by the shooters, who were already the most successful athletes from the country at the Games, India bagged a whopping 26 medals in Chengdu.

This included 11 gold medals, eight of which came in shooting. The other three were won by compound archers.

India also won five silver medals and ten bronze medals to finish seventh in the overall medal tally – their highest ever finish.

Some of India's medallists in China included Manu Bhaker, who would go on to win twin medals at the Olympics a year later, Elavenil Valarivan, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Arjun Babuta, race walker Priyanka Goswami, sprinter Amlan Borgohain, hurdler Jyothi Yarraji among others.

India's medallists at World University Games

1973 (Moscow, USSR)

Total: 1 (0 Gold, 0 Silver, 1 Bronze)

Sambadi Boroute – Women’s 48kg Wrestling – Bronze

1979 (Mexico City, Mexico)

Total: 1 (0 Gold, 1 Silver, 0 Bronze)

Bal Nandan – Men’s Tennis – Silver

2007 (Bangkok, Thailand)

Total: 2 (1 Gold, 0 Silver, 1 Bronze)

Harveen Sarao – Women’s 10m Air Pistol – Gold

Women’s Team – 10m Air Pistol – Bronze

2011 (Shenzhen, China)

Total: 3 (2 Gold, 0 Silver, 1 Bronze)

Harveen Sarao – Women’s 10m Air Pistol – Gold

Women’s Team – 10m Air Pistol – Gold

Women’s Compound Archery Team –Gagandeep Kaur, Anjali Kumari, Sunita Rani - Bronze

2013 (Kazan, Russia)

Total: 1 (0 Gold, 1 Silver, 0 Bronze)

Indrajeet Singh – Men’s Shot Put – Silver

2015 (Gwangju, South Korea)

Total: 5 (1 Gold, 1 Silver, 3 Bronze)

Indrajeet Singh – Men’s Shot Put – Gold

Mixed Compound Archery Team – Kawalpreet Singh, Jyothi Surekha Vennam – Silver

Men's Team – Ankur Mittal, Asgar Hussain Khan, Namanveer Brar–Double Trap – Bronze

Men’s Team – Akhil Sheoran, Harmanvir Singh, Ekambir Singh – 10m Air Rifle – Bronze

Men’s Team – Achal Pratap Singh Grewal, Amrender Pal Singh Chauhan, Akshay Jain – 25m Rapid Fire Pistol – Bronze

2017 (Taipei, Taiwan)

Total: 1 (0 Gold, 1 Silver, 0 Bronze)

Sanjivani Jadhav – Women’s 10,000m – Silver

2019 (Naples, Italy)

Total: 4 (1 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze)

Dutee Chand – Women’s 100m – Gold

Elavenil Valarivan – Women’s 10m Air Rifle – Silver

Bajwa Angad Vir Singh – Men’s Individual Skeet – Bronze

Women’s Team – Nina Chandel, Aayushi Gupta, Elavenil Valarivan –10m Air Rifle – Bronze

2023 (Chengdu, China)

Total: 26 (11 Gold, 5 Silver, 10 Bronze)

Gold (11):

Manu Bhaker – Women’s 10m Air Pistol

Elavenil Valarivan – Women’s 10m Air Rifle

Manu Bhaker, Abhidnya Ashok Patil, Yashaswini Singh Deswal – Women’s 10m Air Pistol Team

Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar – Men’s 10m Air Rifle

Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar – Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions

Arjun Babuta, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Divyansh Singh Panwar – Men’s 10m Air Rifle Team

Ashi Chouksey, Manini Kaushik, Sift Kaur Samra – Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team

Sift Kaur Samra – Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions

Aman Saini, Pragati – Mixed Compound Archery Team

Avneet Kaur – Women’s Compound Archery

Sangampreet Singh Bisla – Men’s Compound Archery

Silver (5):

Avneet Kaur, Purvasha, Pragati – Women’s Compound Archery Team

Vijayveer Sidhu, Udhayveer Sidhu, Adarsh Singh – Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Team

Divyansh Singh Panwar – Men’s 10m Air Rifle

Elavenil Valarivan, Divyansh Singh Panwar – Mixed 10m Air Rifle

Ashi Chouksey – Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions

Bronze (10):

Aman Saini – Men’s Compound Archery

Reeta Sawaiyan, Sangeeta, Tanisha Verma – Women’s Recurve Archery Team

Aman Saini, Rishab Yadav, Sangampreet Singh Bisla – Men’s Compound Archery Team

Sartaj Singh Tiwana, Surya Pratap Singh, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar – Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions Team

Varun Tomar, Arjun Singh Cheema, Anmol Jain – Men’s 10m Air Pistol Team

Yamini Mourya – Women’s 57kg Judo

Bhavani Yadav – Women’s Long Jump

Jyothi Yarraji – Women’s 100m Hurdles

Amlan Borgohain – Men’s 200m

Priyanka Goswami, Mansi Negi, Nikita Lamba, Pooja Kumawat – Women’s 20km Race Walk Team