Tamil Nadu athletes won 18 medals at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan: two gold, three silver and 13 bronze. The state sent 37 sportspersons across 11 disciplines, and announced ₹6.9 crore in cash incentives for them, Organiser reported on 8 October. India as a whole finished fourth with 85 medals, 21 of them gold, The Week reported.
At an event in Chennai on 8 October, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay presented the awards while launching the state’s Dream Olympics 2036 programme. Here is who won what, how much the medallists get, and what comes next for them.
The headline performance: Vithya Ramraj
Vithya Ramraj, from Meenakshipuram village in the Madukkarai area of Coimbatore, won a medal of every colour, YourStory reported:
- Gold in the women’s 4x400m relay, in 3:29.69.
- Silver in the mixed 4x400m relay, running the anchor leg.
- Bronze in the 400m hurdles on 28 September, in 54.75 seconds.
That hurdles time broke P. T. Usha’s national record of 55.42 seconds, set at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and made her the first Indian woman under 55 seconds, The Week noted. Her twin sister Nithya is also an athlete; both trained through a sports hostel during school.
Other Tamil Nadu medallists
The medallists named in the Organiser report include:
| Athlete | Sport | Medal(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Gunalan Kamalini | Women’s cricket | Gold (team) |
| Elavenil Valarivan | Shooting | Two silver |
| Abhay Singh | Squash | Silver (singles), bronze (team) |
| Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar | Squash | Bronze (mixed doubles) |
| Nethra Kumanan | Sailing | Bronze (women’s dinghy) |
| Baranica Elangovan | Athletics | Bronze (pole vault) |
| Vishal T. K. | Athletics | Two bronze (relays) |
| Rajesh Ramesh | Athletics | Bronze (men’s 4x400m) |
| Abinaya Rajarajan | Athletics | Bronze (relay) |
| Hariharan Amsamarunan | Badminton | Bronze (men’s team) |
The report does not break down all 18 medals athlete by athlete, so this list is not complete. Elavenil, born in Tamil Nadu, represents Gujarat in domestic competition, the same report noted.
What the medallists get
At the 8 October event the state paid ₹75 lakh for each Asian Games gold, ₹50 lakh for each silver and ₹30 lakh for each bronze, DT Next reported. The squash bronze medallists Joshna and Velavan had already been promised ₹30 lakh each on 26 September, and both trained under SDAT’s Elite Scheme, Sports Minister Aadhav Arjuna said, DT Next reported.
The bigger change is what happens next. Under Dream Olympics 2036, Asian Games, Para Asian Games and Commonwealth Games medallists join the programme, with a monthly stipend of ₹1 lakh and ₹50 lakh a year in support, according to the same report. The programme also lists 10 Olympic Centres of Excellence, a Tamil Nadu Olympic City and Sports City, and an SDAT Olympic Illam in Chennai. Locations and budgets for these had not been published on an official page by mid-October.
How the awards have grown
The rates are higher than a few years ago. Before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, the state promised ₹3 crore for an Olympic gold, ₹2 crore for silver and ₹1 crore for bronze, The News Minute reported. In August 2026 the Assembly heard that the Olympic and Paralympic gold award would rise to ₹5 crore, and that support for athletes who qualify for the Olympics would go from ₹7 lakh to ₹15 lakh, DT Next reported. The Asian Games payouts announced in October sit within that new scale.
What to watch next
The next big multi-sport events for these athletes are the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where cricket returns, and the Commonwealth Games cycle. The Asian Games results also feed into state job and admission quotas, which count medals at such events for eligibility. Check SDAT announcements for the formal orders covering the incentives and the Dream Olympics stipend.
Quick answers
How many medals did Tamil Nadu win at the 2026 Asian Games?
Eighteen: two gold, three silver and 13 bronze, from 37 athletes in 11 sports.
Who won the most medals from Tamil Nadu?
Vithya Ramraj, with gold, silver and bronze, including a national record in the 400m hurdles.
How much does Tamil Nadu pay for an Asian Games gold?
₹75 lakh, with ₹50 lakh for silver and ₹30 lakh for bronze, as presented on 8 October 2026.
Where were the 2026 Asian Games held?
In Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from 19 September to 4 October 2026.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Tamil Nadu sportspersons shine at Asian Games with 18 medals (Organiser)
- Dream Olympic 2036: CM Vijay launches scheme (DT Next)
- India finishes fourth with 85 medals (The Week)
- Vithya Ramraj bags bronze, breaks 42-year record (The Week)
- Vithya Ramraj wins gold, silver and bronze (YourStory)
- Rs 30 lakh each for Asian Games squash medallists (DT Next)
- TN announces Rs 3 crore for Olympic gold winners (The News Minute)
- Tamil Nadu enhances Olympic medal cash prize to Rs 5 crore (DT Next)
