IIS Launches Women's Rowing Programme to Boost India's Olympic Hopes

The programme will operate out of the RWP-3 training facility in Bellary, part of the JSW Group ecosystem, marking a significant step in strengthening India's women's rowing pipeline ahead of major international competitions, including the Asian Games and the Olympic Games, according to a statement.

The ceremony will be led by Manisha Malhotra, IIS President, along with the Chief Guest, Balaji Maradapa, RFI President.

Speaking about the initiative, Manisha Malhotra said, "This programme is a reflection of strong collaboration, with the Rowing Federation of India playing a key role in making it possible. For our women rowers, this facility brings much-needed stability, world-class support, and the right environment to train and grow. It's an important step towards giving them the platform they deserve and building towards success at the Asian Games and beyond."

Tathagata Mukherjee, COO of IIS, added, "Rowing has been a clear priority for us, and in less than a year we've built a strong high-performance ecosystem -- in fact, in just four months we have been able to create the infrastructure and readiness at IIS. From facilities to bringing together some of the best women rowers in the country, this progress would not have been possible without the support of the JSW group. We are already seeing early impact, including two medals at the 2025 Asian Rowing Championships, and this is just the beginning of our push towards consistent international success."

Adding to this, Balaji Mardapa, President of RFI, said, "This truly marks a new beginning for rowing in India. I would like to thank IIS for their efforts and this strong partnership with the Rowing Federation of India. The vision goes beyond the Asian Games, with structured international exposure like the six-week training stint in Melbourne already showing visible improvements in technique and performance. I have personally seen the progress on the water, and I firmly believe Indian women's rowing is set to reach heights never seen before in our history."

The programme began with a comprehensive sports science testing phase at IIS between 18 and 25 February 2026, where 30 athletes underwent performance assessments. Based on the results, a final group of 24 athletes was selected for the next phase of structured training.

The initiative has already shown encouraging progress, with boats in the Women's Coxless Pair and Women's Coxless Four categories qualifying for the upcoming Asian Games. Key athletes include Diljot and Suman in the Coxless Pair, and Jigyasa, Tendenthoi, Aswathi and Gurbani in the Coxless Four, with Aleena and Bhagyasri serving as reserve athletes.

Training will take place at the RWP-3 facility in Bellary, which features a 2,300-metre stretch of water - closely aligned with the official 2,000-metre international racing distance - enabling athletes to train under competition-like conditions. The venue offers a controlled environment with no public boat traffic, allowing uninterrupted sessions aligned with coaches' training schedules. The waterbody has been assessed and approved by experts from the Rowing Federation of India based on course length, water quality, weather conditions and geographical suitability.

The programme currently operates with 12 rowing boats across multiple classes, including single sculls, double sculls, quadruple sculls, coxless pair and coxless four boats, enabling training across different competitive formats.

Looking ahead, IIS is exploring overseas training and competition opportunities, including potential collaborations with international experts, to further strengthen athlete development. The programme's long-term roadmap focuses on achieving medal-winning performances at the Asian Games and preparing athletes to qualify in targeted events for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

- ANI