Indian squash ace Joshna Chinappa to make history at Aichi-Nagoya

Joshna Chinappa, 39, will become the first Indian to feature at seven straight Asian Games when she leads India’s squash challenge at the September 19 to October 4 showpiece in Japan.

The Indian squad was selected after a four-day selection trials held by the Squash Rackets Federation of India concluded in Chennai on Monday, June 15. She sealed her place by battling past Unnati Tripathi in a gruelling five-game encounter in the trials.

Joshna is expected to play in the doubles at the 20th Asian Games.

When informed she would create history by becoming the first Indian to compete in seven consecutive Asian Games, Joshna admitted the record came as a surprise.

“I never knew that. I always felt athletes like PT Usha or Leander Paes would have achieved something like this. I am more than happy,” Joshna told Olympics.com.

Joshna’s Asian Games journey began at Busan 2002. She has since represented India at every edition of the Games – Doha 2006, Guangzhou 2010, Incheon 2014, Jakarta-Palembang 2018, Hangzhou 2022 and now Aichi-Nagoya 2026.

In this span, she has won five Asian Games medals – two silvers and three bronze – with four coming in team events, including a bronze in Hangzhou. Her other medal was an individual bronze in the women’s singles in Jakarta.

Despite the landmark, Joshna’s attention remains firmly on helping India challenge for medals in Japan. The veteran is expected to play a key role in a squad that blends experience with youth, including teenage sensation Anahat Singh, one of India’s brightest prospects in the sport.