New Delhi, 5 December (H.S.): Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday felicitated members of the Indian equestrian team that delivered a historic performance at the FEI Asian Equestrian Championship 2025 held in Pattaya, Thailand. The six-member Indian contingent created history by securing a total of five medals — across both team and individual events — marking a landmark achievement for the nation in the sport.
In the Eventing discipline, Ashish Limaye clinched a gold medal in the individual category and a silver medal in the team event. In Dressage, Shruti Bora showcased exceptional form by bagging three silver medals — two in individual events and one in the team competition. The other team members included Shashank Singh Kataria and Shashank Kanmuri in Eventing, and Divyakriti Singh and Gaurav Pundeer in Dressage.
India’s New Era in Equestrian Sports
While honouring the athletes, Dr. Mandaviya said India is now achieving success in sports where its global presence was once minimal. “This isn’t the India of ten years ago,” he remarked.
“Over the past decade, the sports ecosystem in our country has transformed tremendously. The government will remove every barrier that stands between an athlete and their medal. We are committed to building an enabling equestrian infrastructure within India so that our riders no longer have to go abroad for training.”
The minister further assured that the government would establish a dedicated quarantine centre within a year, resolving the long-standing logistical challenge of horse movement for international competitions.
Praise from the Medal Winners
Triple silver medallist Shruti Bora lauded Dr. Mandaviya’s proactive approach, saying, “As soon as we shared our concerns, he immediately initiated steps to develop an Equine Disease-Free Zone. He emphasized that instead of sending a few athletes abroad, the entire ecosystem must be created in India.
Once this infrastructure is in place, training, qualification, and international participation will become far smoother for Indian equestrians.”The achievements of the Indian team in Pattaya mark a pivotal moment for India’s equestrian journey — reflecting both the surge in the nation’s global sporting aspirations and the government’s renewed focus on developing niche disciplines.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
