Asian Games
Asian Games: Sports where Indians can win first-ever medals
Athletics has been India's most successful sport at the Asian Games. On the other hand, there have been no gold medals in sports like Weightlifting, Badminton yet, and no medals at all in sports like Fencing.
Mirabai Chanu will be aiming for a first ever gold medal for India in Weightlifting; Bhavani Devi could clinch the first ever medal in Fencing.
India have been the fifth most successful nation at the Asian Games, but there are some sports where getting into the medal places has remained out of reach. As India's 651-member contingent embarks on the 2023 campaign from September 23 in Hangzhou, China, they will do so with the knowledge that some medals will be even more precious than others.
Mirabai Chanu may be a contemporary hero, but she has never won a medal at the Asian Games. India have had Weightlifting medallists at the Asiad in the distant past, but no gold medals. In Badminton too, there have been no gold medals yet for India, with a Chinese wall guarding the top prize. Could the likes of PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy and Satwik/Chirag turn the tide in Hangzhou?
Weightlifting and Badminton are among 13 sports where Indians have not won gold medals in the past.
Ten other sports have Indian representation this time where any medal will be a first. Fencing and Handball are among sports where Indians have featured without any success in the Asiad. Bhavani Devi, however, won a first-ever medal for India at the Asian Championships earlier this year, and she will be gunning for a historic first.
3 sports where India are making Asian Games debut - Modern Pentathlon, Cricket, E-sports
13 sports where India have not won gold medals - Weightlifting, Badminton, TT, Gymnastics, Cycling, Volleyball, Sepak Takraw, Wushu, Kurash, Judo, Taekwondo, Roller Sports, Canoeing
10 sports where India have not won any medals - Fencing, Modern Pentathlon, Sports Climbing, Soft Tennis, Jiu Jitsu, E-sports, Cricket, Handball, Rugby, Basketball
Throughout eighteen editions of the Asian Games, India's remarkable performances in athletics, wrestling, and shooting have garnered the most medals. At the Asian level, India has been established as a superpower in these sports. Among team sports, hockey and kabaddi has seen an Indian dominance.
Following is a list of India's most successful sports at the Asian Games:
| Sport | Rank | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| Athletics | 3 | 79 | 88 | 87 | 254 |
| Wrestling | 7 | 11 | 14 | 34 | 59 |
| Shooting | 8 | 9 | 21 | 28 | 58 |
Boxing | 8 | 9 | 16 | 32 | 57 |
| Tennis | 5 | 9 | 6 | 17 | 32 |
| Kabaddi | 1 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| Cue Sports | 3 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 15 |
| Hockey | 3 | 4 | 11 | 6 | 21 |
| Equestrian | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 12 |
| Golf | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Board Games | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 7 |
| Rowing | 5 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 23 |
| Diving | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Football | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Sailing | 10 | 1 | 7 | 12 | 20 |
| Archery | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 |
| Squash | 4 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 13 |
| Swimming | 13 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 9 |
| Water Polo | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Weightlifting | 17 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 14 |
| Badminton | 9 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 10 |
| Wushu | 15 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 9 |
| Cycling | 16 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Volleyball | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Kurash | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Judo | 14 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Roller Sports | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Table Tennis | 11 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Canoeing | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Gymnastics | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Taekwondo | 24 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Sepaktakraw | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 5 | 155 | 201 | 316 | 672 |
