India's rowing history: Army duo Lakshay-Ujjwal win first World Cup gold

India achieved a landmark moment in rowing history as Havildar Lakshay and Havildar Ujjwal Kumar Singh clinched the country's first-ever gold medal at a World Rowing Cup, winning the Lightweight Men's Double Sculls (LM2x) event at the 2026 World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Competing at the famed Rotsee course, the Indian pair produced a brilliant performance to cross the finish line in 6:26.09, finishing ahead of Hong Kong's San Tung Lam and Tik Lun Chan (6:27.14) and the Netherlands duo of Erik van Eijck van Heslinga and Fredrik Ploeg (6:27.36).

India's Rowing World Cup history 

The victory is a watershed moment for Indian rowing. Before Lucerne, India had never won a World Rowing Cup gold medal, with the country's previous podium finishes at the competition limited to bronze medals.

Both Lakshay and Ujjwal are serving soldiers in the Indian Army and train at the Army Rowing Node (ARN) in Pune, one of the country's premier rowing centres. The achievement also underlines the Armed Forces' contribution to Indian rowing, with the Indian contingent in Lucerne heavily drawn from military personnel.

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The triumph becomes even more significant given the challenges faced by the team in the build-up to the event. According to Rowing Federation of India president Balaji Maradappa, the Indian squad missed World Cup II in Bulgaria earlier this month due to visa-related delays and arrived in Switzerland after a disrupted preparation schedule. Despite that setback, the rowers delivered a career-defining performance on the biggest stage.

Held from June 26-28, the World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne attracted more than 650 athletes from 42 nations and serves as a key stepping stone towards the World Rowing Championships later this year. For India, however, the biggest takeaway is already secured -- a historic gold medal that could redefine the ambitions of the country's rowing programme.