Delhi University’s athletes Ashima Ahlawat, Paritosh and Lakshay Raj Singh represented India at the 2026 Asian Games, bringing shooting, eSports and handball into the university highlights.
Delhi University’s sport’s presence made it to the international arena at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with students and alumni representing India in shooting, eSports and handball. Their journeys spanned different sporting disciplines and highlighted the expanding opportunities available to student athletes.
DU was represented by Ashima Ahlawat, a postgraduate student at Delhi School of Economics and an alumna of Lady Shri Ram College. Ahlawat, who was making her debut at the Asian Games, bagged a silver in the women’s trap team event along with Neeru Dhanda and Manisha Keer. Her medal added a global touch to a shooting career that reportedly started after she saw Indian shooters at the 2018 Asian Games. In an interview with ANI, she acknowledged the narrow difference between finishing second and winning gold, saying,
Gold could have been won somewhere.
She also credited her mother as her biggest source of support.
While Ashima was part of an established Olympic sport, Paritosh carried the DU name in the relatively new domain of competitive eSports. Paritosh, a first-year B.Com (Hons.) student at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, is also a member of ARCADE, Delhi University’s e-sports society. He represented India at the Games in Puyo Puyo Champions where he stood third in his group with two wins and two losses and progressed to the quarter finals. He finished his campaign with a 0-5 loss to South Korea’s Kang Dongshin. The Hindustan Times reported on Paritosh’s evolution from university eSports to the Asian Games and the part ARCADE played in his development.
It gives you a sense of community and support.
said Paritosh about the society itself. This is also a sign of how eSports has been gaining a place in the world of competitive sports, providing Delhi University students with yet another avenue to participate in international sports for India.
Alongside them was Lakshay Raj Singh, a student of law at Delhi University, who participated in handball in the Asian Games for India. Singh has developed his sporting career through playing for Rajasthan in the National Games and for Delhi University in the National University Games. Internationally, he has participated in the World Championship. Participating in the Asian Games was happening at a point in time when he was also involved in university politics, as he contested the 2026 Delhi University Students’ Union elections for joint secretary. The Indian Express, while writing profiles of DUSU candidates, pointed out that Lakshay was a pro handball player who had participated in many international events.
Overall, their achievements showcase the diverse sporting talent emerging from Delhi University and its growing presence on the global stage.
Image credits: Speaks
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Aeera Aroush Khan
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