World University Games 2025: India Secures 20th Spot with 12-Medal Haul

India put up a spirited performance at the FISU World University Games 2025, held in Germany, finishing in the 20th position with a total of 12 medals. The medal tally included two gold, five silver, and five bronze medals, showcasing India’s growing presence on the global stage of university-level sports.

India’s Medal Tally and Overall Performance

Final Standings

India closed the Games in 20th place, with its athletes putting up commendable performances across athletics, archery, tennis, and badminton. The final day brought special cheer as three medals were added,

• Silver by Ankita Dhyani in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase
• Bronze in the men’s 4x100m relay
• Bronze in the women’s race walk team event

Global Rankings

At the top of the medal table,

• Japan dominated with 34 gold medals
• The People’s Republic of China followed with 30 gold medals
• The USA secured third place with 28 gold medals

Highlights of India’s Medal Winners

Athletics Achievements

• India bagged five medals in athletics, marking a strong display in track and field.
• Praveen Chitravel won silver in the men’s triple jump.
• Seema secured a silver in the women’s 5000m race.
• The men’s 4x100m relay team — comprising Lalu Prasad Bhoi, Animesh Kujur, Manikanta Hoblidhar, and Dondapati Mrutyum Jayaram — clinched bronze with an impressive timing of 38.89 seconds.

Archery Glory

Archery emerged as one of India’s strongest areas at the Games,

• Sahil Rajesh Jadhav struck gold in the compound archery men’s individual event.
• Parneet Kaur won silver in the women’s individual event.
• The mixed team event brought India another gold, while the men’s team earned silver, and the women’s team added a bronze to the tally.

Historic Moments in Badminton and Tennis

• India’s campaign began with a historic bronze in mixed team badminton, only the country’s second-ever medal in the sport at the University Games.
• In tennis, Vaishnavi Adkar made history by winning a singles bronze, India’s first-ever tennis medal since Nandan Bal’s silver in 1979.

Comparison with Previous Performances

India’s showing in 2025, though impressive, was a step down from its best-ever performance in 2023 at Chengdu, China, where India ranked 7th with 26 medals, including 11 golds. However, the 2025 campaign still highlighted India’s consistency and potential in university-level sports.

Looking Ahead

The next edition of the World University Games will be hosted in 2027 at Chungcheong Province, South Korea. With the steady rise in talent and performance, India aims to climb higher in the global rankings in the upcoming edition.