India’s Commonwealth Games gold medallist gains crucial ranking points at Lausanne Grand Slam; nine Indian women also sit within senior or junior World Championships ranking thresholds
New Delhi, August 31, 2026: Commonwealth Games champion Harsh Singh has strengthened his chances of representing India at the 2026 World Judo Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, after earning valuable world-ranking points at the Lausanne Grand Slam in Switzerland.
Competing in the men’s under-60kg category, Harsh received a first-round bye before winning his next contest at the Lausanne Grand Slam. His campaign later ended against South Korea’s Lee Harim, but the result helped the Indian judoka earn important ranking points as the qualification race for the World Championships entered its final phase.
According to the latest post-Lausanne ranking information available to the Judo Federation of India, Harsh has moved to around World No. 84, putting him inside the ranking range expected to make him eligible for the Baku Worlds. He is currently the leading Indian male judoka in contention for the championships.
The Baku World Senior Judo Championships 2026 will be staged at the National Gymnastics Arena in Azerbaijan from October 4 to 11. Individual events are scheduled from October 4 to 10, followed by the mixed team competition on October 11.
Harsh continues rise after historic Commonwealth Games gold
Harsh has enjoyed a breakthrough 2026 season.
At the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in July, he created history by becoming the first Indian male judoka to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal, taking the men’s under-60kg title.
The triumph was a major milestone for Indian judo and gave Harsh significant international visibility ahead of the second half of the season.
He had also produced a strong result earlier in the year by finishing seventh at the Qazaqstan Barysy Grand Slam, underlining his growing competitiveness on the senior international circuit.
Interestingly, Harsh is not part of India’s three-member judo squad currently cleared for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. India’s approved Asian Games judo squad includes Asmita Dey, Yamini Mourya and Inunganbi Takhellambam.
That makes the Baku World Championships an especially important target for Harsh as he looks to continue his rise on the international stage.
Nine Indian women also in World Championships ranking range
India could also have a strong women’s presence in Baku.
According to ranking information available as of August 31, nine Indian female judokas are inside the relevant top-100 senior or top-16 junior ranking range in their respective categories.
The senior group includes Commonwealth Games champion Asmita Dey (under-48kg), Shraddha Kadubal Chopade (under-52kg), Yamini Mourya (under-57kg), Linthoi Chanambam and Himanshi Tokas (under-63kg), Inunganbi Takhellambam (under-70kg) and Ishroop Narang (under-78kg).
Junior players L. Nungshithoi Chanu and Kh. Taibanganbi Chanu are also well placed through their junior world-ranking positions.
Several members of this group have already produced important results during the 2026 season.
Asmita Dey won Commonwealth Games gold in the women’s under-48kg category, while Linthoi Chanambam has continued to strengthen her reputation as one of India’s most promising young judokas after strong performances at junior level.
The growing number of Indians appearing inside competitive international ranking ranges is an encouraging sign for a sport in which India has traditionally struggled to establish a sustained presence at the world level.
Sports Ministry clears Japan training camp
India’s preparations have received another boost with the Sports Ministry approving a training-cum-exposure camp at Tsukuba University in Japan ahead of the Asian Games and World Championships.
Tsukuba is regarded as one of Japan’s leading centres for judo development and should provide Indian athletes access to high-quality sparring partners, technical exposure and valuable acclimatisation before the major international events.
Harsh Singh is expected to be among the leading Indian judokas benefiting from the preparation programme, alongside several of the women currently in contention for Baku.
For Indian judo, the coming weeks will therefore carry importance beyond the Asian Games.
With Commonwealth Games champions Harsh Singh and Asmita Dey, a growing group of internationally ranked women and promising junior talent, the Baku World Judo Championships 2026 will provide another major test of whether India can convert recent progress into sustained results at the highest global level.
