Asian Games 2023: Meet India's Equestrian Dressage Team Who Won Gold After 41 Years

The Indian Dressage Team comprising of Sudipti Hajela, Divyakriti Singh, Hriday Chheda, and Anush Agarwalla, secured a groundbreaking gold medal win at the Asian Games on September 26, 2023, marking the first time in 41 years that India has managed to clinch gold in this competition. This significant achievement in dressage, a widely enjoyed horse riding sport in India, has set a new record in the country's equestrian history.

India's victorious achievement in the 2023 Asian Games affirms the growth experienced in the country's equestrian sports. It is also the first time India has ever picked up a medal in the event at the Asiads, boosting its international equestrian reputation. This monumental success fills the nation with great joy and sets an encouraging example for India's future equestrian competitors.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to congratulate the Equestrian Dressage Team for winning Gold in Asian Games.

It is a matter of extreme pride that after several decades, our Equestrian Dressage Team has won Gold in Asian Games!

Hriday Chheda, Anush Agarwalla, Sudipti Hajela and Divyakriit Singh have displayed unparalleled skill, teamwork and brought honour to our nation on the… pic.twitter.com/9GtxWKcPHl

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 26, 2023

Here are the athletes who secured India's maiden Asian Games gold in 41 years.

Sudipti Hajela

Sudipti Hajela was born on May 10, 2002, in Indore and developed an interest in horse riding at just six years old. What initially began as a summer hobby quickly became her career. Sudipti was a student at Daly College, Indore, which significantly influenced her path in equestrian sports. Presently, she is stationed in Paris, where she encountered her current coaches who are associated with the French Olympics team and French national teams.

Divyakriti Singh

Born in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Divyakriti Singh is a 23-year-old international dressage rider and an alumna of Mayo College Girls School. She has showcased her skills at various international competitions in Europe and national events across India.

She studied psychology at Jesus and Mary College at the University of Delhi, where she pursued her passion for dressage. Divyakriti would often train in European countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Austria, as well as in Wellington-Florida, USA, known as the equestrian capital of the world. After completing her university education, she relocated to Europe in 2020 for further training in readiness for the upcoming Asian Games and other international events. Since then, she has proudly represented India in multiple highly competitive competitions.

Anush Agarwalla

Anush Agarwalla was born on November 23, 1999, in Kolkata. His initial horse riding experience began at age three, which quickly developed into a higher interest. At the age of eight, his mother signed him up for horse riding lessons, leading him to participate in local competitions for children. When he turned 11, he started travelling to New Delhi during weekends for further training while continuing his school during weekdays.

Hriday Chheda

Hriday Chheda, born on July 24, 1998, in Mumbai, commenced his journey in horseback riding just like Anush Agarwalla did, at the tender age of 6, and he has regularly trained in various locations throughout the country. His training and discipline have spanned over a decade and have taken place in various parts of Europe.

Dressage has twin roots in India, it was introduced by the British colonialists and later, Indian royalty and nobility embraced it and turned it into a royal sport. Currently, it serves dual functions in the country, being a leisure sport and an adventurous game simultaneously.