By Ivashree
When 19-year-old Ishroop Narang bowed on to the mat in Jakarta for the Junior Asian Judo Championships, she carried with her the quiet grit of years of training. She left with a silver medal in the 78kg category, a breakthrough moment for both her career and Indian judo.
Born in Ludhiana, Punjab Narang first discovered the sport in 2017 while at Guru Nanak International School, where coach Kishore Kumar introduced her to judo. What began as curiosity soon turned into commitment. Later, under the guidance of coach Vivek Thakur at the Sector 34 Sports Complex in Chandigarh, Narang honed her skills and began competing nationally and internationally. She is currently a student at MCM DAV College for Women, balancing her studies with the rigors of elite training.
Her journey has been marked by resilience in more ways than one. Narang was born with polydactyly extra fingers and toes, something she has often said gives her a unique advantage in grip and balance. Rather than viewing it as a limitation she turned it into a strength, a small metaphor for her approach to sport and life.
The silver in Jakarta is only the latest in a string of achievements. Earlier this year, she clinched gold at the Taipei Junior Asian Cup, adding to the bronze she earned at the 2024 Junior Asian Championships in Korea. She also struck gold at the 38th National Games in Uttarakhand in the senior 78kg category. These results have propelled her into the global rankings, she currently stands 10th in the world among juniors and 85th at the senior level.
For India, Narang’s success is a reminder of the talent waiting in less celebrated sports. Judo has never enjoyed the visibility of wrestling or boxing and yet here is a teenager showing that Indian athletes can not only compete but also contend for medals on the continental stage.
The bigger challenge now lies ahead sustaining her momentum into senior competitions, where the field is deeper and more unforgiving. With the right support, exposure to international tournaments, scientific training and consistent backing Narang could turn this silver into many more podium finishes.
For now, she returns home with her medal and a message that Indian judo has a future worth watching.