Inunganbi aims to spark new belief in Indian judo after ending 13-year wait: 'If she can win, why can’t I?'

The moment lasted just a few seconds on the mat, but carried the weight of billions of Indian fans for 13 long years.

It all happened when Manipur's Takhellambam Inunganbi locked her opponent in a choke and forced a submission to win bronze at the 2026 Asian Judo Championships in Ordos City, China. It was special not because it was a medal, but because Inunganbi had ended India’s long wait on the continental stage.

India had not seen a podium finish at the event since Manipuri Angom Anita Chanu’s bronze in 2013. For Inunganbi, that connection made the moment even more special.

"It feels very good, but I don’t really know how to express it. The medals that came before me were also from Manipur. So when my medal came after 13 years, I felt very happy because I had been able to continue that legacy," she said in an exclusive interview with Firstpost.

More from Sports

A medal that made history

There was an almost poetic moment after her win, as Inunganbi didn’t even know that Anita Chanu, who is now her Team India mentor, was the last Indian to win a medal at this level. It was only when coach Jiwan Sharma made a light-hearted comment after her win that she realised the magnitude of her achievement.

"She [Anita] was very happy. I didn’t even know that Ma’am had won a medal in 2013. Our coach, Jiwan sir, who had gone with us, told something like, ‘Anita, have you passed on your medal to her to win next?’ When I heard that, I came to know that the medal from 13 years ago was ma’am’s. So both of us felt happy together," Inunganbi recalled during the chat with Firstpost.

However, Inunganbi’s journey to this medal has not been straightforward. Once a 63kg judoka in her junior days, her career took a difficult turn after a serious ACL injury in 2018. The recovery was slow, and the physical changes eventually forced her to change her category to 70kg.

"Till juniors, I used to compete in the 63kg category. My weight used to be around 59, 61, 62 kg. After the surgery, it didn’t increase suddenly and I had to gradually build it up through gym training. From 2018 to 2020, I tried to control it, but if I didn’t eat properly, I would feel weak. Because of that, I couldn’t maintain strict weight control for long," she said.

"So I had to change my weight category when I moved to seniors. From 2021, when I started my senior career, my weight went up to around 66 kg. That’s why I moved to the 70kg category, but it was very difficult. Other players in the 70kg would come down from around 73 kg after cutting weight, while I was only around 66 kg," she added.

Now, she has adapted perfectly to the new category and is enjoying her run. Inunganbi believes that the tactical changes she made to her game after the shift have helped her settle into the 70kg category.

"So it was very tough for me to fight them as I couldn’t lift and throw them easily at that time. At the same time, I couldn’t suddenly increase my weight either. So I focused more on tactics in training, especially ground techniques like choke holds and controlling from below. I kept analysing how I could win matches using those methods. Now I am around 71-72 kg. So I have become fit for the 70 kg category."

Inunganbi on changing the mindset

Inunganbi said something very profound during our conversation, that medals are not just personal achievements, but something that could trigger a new wave. It’s a thought that has been shaped by the constant support of her husband, Ashish Kumar Chaudhary, an Olympian himself, whom she married in 2024.

"When one person starts winning medals, it changes everyone’s mindset. People start thinking, ‘If she can win, why can’t I?’ Because of that, even in competitions, the fear goes away and confidence comes in, that I can also do it, I can also compete. But if no one is winning and there are only losses, then people start thinking that medals are not possible, that it’s too tough. Even the next generation starts believing that it’s very difficult and maybe not achievable. If that mindset stays, it becomes hard to win," she told Firstpost.

"But when someone wins a medal at a big competition, that fear goes away. That’s why my husband always tells me that winning medals is very important - not just for me, but for everyone. If I start winning, then people in my generation will also believe that if I can do it, they can too. In this way, India can continue to win medals. That’s why winning medals is very important," Inunganbi added.

Ashish, who has now taken a step back from his own sporting career due to job commitments, has made her journey his full priority. He does not want Inunganbi to have any regrets about not winning major medals, and she also credits him for her success.

"He has a job with the state, and they don’t really give him time off for training. He has already played his part in the sport, so now he isn’t focusing on it as much. Right now, he is giving more priority to me and my career. Because he himself has said that he has already played whatever he wanted to in his career. He had the dream of playing in the Olympics, and he did play, but he couldn’t win a medal. So he tells me, ‘I don’t want you to have regrets like me. Do everything now, give your 100% from the heart, and try to win a medal.’ That’s why he is giving me full priority and support. And because of that, the medal is now coming to me."

From Manipur to the world stage

Like many athletes from Manipur, which is currently affected by a civil war, Inunganbi had limited exposure. She found a base when she was selected for the National Sports Academy, but the turning point came when the 27-year-old finally moved to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) for further development after four years.

"At NSA, since we were young, the focus was mostly on basics. At that time, we didn’t really know how things worked at the national level. I had never seen players from outside Manipur because I hadn’t played nationals then. When I moved to SAI, that’s when I got my first national selection. It took me four years to break through and come out of Manipur to play nationals. I used to lose in trials regularly. My friends had already played nationals and even won medals, while I was just clapping for them. But after those four years, when I shifted to SAI, things changed. Since 2014, whenever I have played nationals, I have not returned home without a medal."

The next big shift for Inunganbi came at the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS), which now supports her career full-time. "At IIS, my thinking completely changed. Once I came to IIS and got all the facilities, my mindset shifted. I didn’t just want to win medals in India anymore, but also wanted to win medals for India at the international level," she said.

What lies ahead for Inunganbi?

Inunganbi's bronze in Ordos came after a tough path. She suffered a defeat in the quarter-final to eventual silver medallist Shirinjon Yuldoshova, but made a strong comeback in repechage against Alina Moldokulova. She earned this medal through hard work and skill. Now, her focus is on the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.

"We hope we can give our 100%. Our team is preparing to win medals at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. Right now, we are fully ready - 100%. The results will show that. If we get good results at the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games, then for sure our Olympic preparation will begin. From next year June, the Olympic qualification rounds will start, so that will mark the beginning of our target for the Olympics," Inunganbi concluded.

The Commonwealth Games 2026 is scheduled to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, in July-August, and she will soon start preparations for that. The Asian Games 2026 is slated to take place a month after the CWG in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. All eyes will be on Inunganbi to deliver in those events and qualify for the LA Olympics 2028.