Overview
- Origin
- 1882 Japan
- Category
- Combat
- Olympic discipline
- Yes
- Paralympic discipline
- No
- Central pathway
- Olympic (TOPS eligible)
- Athlete profiles on SportSupport
- 30
Governance and status
Each field below is shown only where we hold a source for it; anything else reads “Not currently verified” rather than a guess. Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports recognition is granted year by year, so it is only ever shown with the year it applies to. Last reviewed: September 2026.
- Indian governing/organising body
- Judo Federation of India
- Ministry recognition
- Judo Federation of India — Granted recognition as a National Sports Federation (interim body) — as at 2026Source: Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — List of recognised National Sports Federations
- International federation
- Not currently verified
- Khelo India inclusion
- On the official Khelo India Games discipline list as "Judo"Source: Sports Authority of India / Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — Discipline wise Participation in all editions of Khelo India Games (19th Edition) (2026-08-29)
- TOPS eligibility
- In scope — TOPS covers Olympic medal prospects
- Olympic status
- On the Olympic programme
- Paralympic status
- Not a Paralympic discipline
Judo is listed on SportSupport in the combat category. Its recorded origin is 1882 Japan. It is on the Olympic programme. We list Judo Federation of India as the Indian governing/organising body for the sport.
Judo is on the pathway that runs through India's national sports federations to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), with selection running through Judo Federation of India against its published benchmarks. Being on this pathway is not itself a statement that the discipline is currently in TOPS — TOPS covers a Core Group and a Development Group chosen by the Mission Olympic Cell. Judo appears on the official Khelo India Games discipline list as "Judo", so junior talent identified by the discipline's selectors can be considered under Khelo India Talent Identification & Development (KITID). (Source: Sports Authority of India / Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — Discipline wise Participation in all editions of Khelo India Games (19th Edition).)
Scholarships & Funding
Central, state and private scholarships available for judo athletes in India.
- Khelo India Talent Identification & Development (KITID)
Monthly stipend (₹10,000 for selected Khelo India athletes), boarding, coaching and kit at accredited centres for talent identified through the Khelo India selection process (Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports). Applies only to disciplines on the official Khelo India Games list, and only to athletes it selects.
- Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)
Central government scheme covering training, foreign exposure, equipment and an out-of-pocket allowance (up to ₹50,000/month) for athletes inducted by the Mission Olympic Cell. TOPS covers a Core Group and a Development Group of disciplines rather than every Olympic sport, and induction is decided athlete by athlete; we hold no current list confirming whether judo is among the covered disciplines.
- National Sports Development Fund (NSDF)
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports fund used to sponsor elite athletes' training, foreign coaches and equipment. Allocations are made case by case; we hold no record of NSDF support specific to judo.
- Pension for Meritorious Sportspersons
Lifetime monthly pension (₹20,000 for Olympic/World/Asian/CWG medallists; scaled by tier) for retired internationals who meet the scheme's medal criteria — Government of India.
Indian Players
30 profiles- Akram ShahDelhi
Akram Shah (born 11 June 1974 or 27 July 1978) is an Indian judoka, played in the extra-lightweight (-60 kg) in various National and International tournaments. He was awarded highest Indian Sportsperson Award - Arjuna Award in the year 2003. He joined the department of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) of India on 27 October 1998 on the basis of sports and participated in All India Police Games in Judo event winning Gold medals in 2001 and 2007 and Silver medal in 2005 and 2006.
- Angom Anita ChanuIndia
Angom Anita Chanu is an Indian judoka, played in the lightweight (-52 kg) in various National and International tournaments. She won her bronze medal at Asian Judo Championship at Bangkok in 2013 by defeating Kazakhstan’s Olessya Kutsenko.
- Anil KumarIndia
Anil Kumar (born 12 December 1984) is an Indian judoka.
- Asmita DeyIndia
Asmita Dey (born 22 March 2003) is an Indian judoka from Tripura who competes in the women's 48 kg category. She won the gold medal in the women's 48 kg event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, becoming the first Indian judoka to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal. She had also won gold medals at the 2023 Macau Junior Asian Cup and the 2025 Casablanca African Open.
- Avtar SinghPunjab
Avtar Singh (born 3 April 1992) is an Indian judoka who competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Cawas BillimoriaMaharashtra
Cawas Billimoria (born 25 October 1962) is an Indian judoka. He is a Parsi Zoroastrian. He competed in the men's heavyweight event at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
- Divya TewarHaryana
Divya Tewar (born 1 August 1984 in Haryana) is an Indian judoka. She represented India at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing in the 78 kg category, but failed to qualify for the finals. She first lost to Cuba's Yalennis Castillo in the preliminary round, and was then beaten by Kazakhstan's Sagat Abikeyeva in the first repechage.
- Garima ChaudharyUttar Pradesh
Garima Chaudhary (born 2 April 1990) is an Indian judoka. She was India's sole judoka at the 2012 London Olympics, competing in the Women's (63 kg) category.
- Harsh SinghIndia
Harsh Singh (born 24 May 2003) is an Indian judoka who competes in the men's 60 kg category. He won the gold medal in the men's 60 kg event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, becoming the first Indian male judoka to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal.
- Inunganbi TakhellambamIndia
Inunganbi Takhellambam (born 24 January 1999) is an Indian judoka from Manipur. She competes in the middleweight −70 kg weight class.
- Jasleen Singh SainiPunjab
Jasleen Singh Saini (born 10 October 1997) is an Indian judoka who competes in the 66 kg weight class.
- Jina Devi ChongthamIndia
Jina Devi Chongtham (born 3 February 1987) is an Indian judoka. She competed in the half-heavyweight (78 kg) class at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
- Kalpana DeviManipur
Kalpana Devi Thoudam (born 24 December 1989) is an Indian judoka, born in Imphal East, Manipur. She won the bronze medal in the women's 52 kg weight class at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
- Kapil ParmarIndia
Kapil Parmar (born 23 June 2000) is an Indian para-judo player. He clinched the bronze medal at the 2024 Paralympics and made history by winning India's first Paralympic medal in judo. Parmar has also won gold at the 2019 Commonwealth Championships, gold at the 2023 Grand Prix, bronze at the 2023 World Games and silver at the 2022 Asian Para Games.
- Khumujam Tombi DeviIndia
Khumujam Tombi Devi (born 1 January 1982) is an Indian judoka, who represented her country at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She participated in the 48 kg category, but lost to Portugal's Ana Hormigo in the preliminary round.
- Lourembam Brojeshori DeviIndia
Lourembam Brojeshori Devi (1 January 1981 – 21 July 2013) was an Indian judoka who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Brojeshori Devi was born on 1 January 1981. She was from Khagempalli Huidrom Leikai in Imphal West of Manipur.
- Najib AgaIndia
Najib Aga (born 5 January 1977) is a former Indian judoka. For his contribution to sports, he was awarded the Ekalavya Award in 1994, by the government of Karnataka.
- Narender SinghDelhi
Narender Singh Kodan (28 May 1969 – 5 February 2016) was an Indian judoka who competed at two Olympic Games.
- Navjot ChanaIndia
Navjot Chana (born 24 November 1983) is an Indian Judo Player who won silver medal in the men's 60 kg weight class at the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Glasgow. He hails from Hoshiarpur district of Punjab state of India. Chana is employed with Punjab Police Chana defeated South Africa's Daniel Le Grange in the semi-final meeting.
- Rajinder Kumar DhangerIndia
Rajinder Kumar Dhanger (born 4 October 1961) is an Indian judoka. He competed in the men's middleweight event at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
- Rajwinder KaurPunjab
Rajwinder Kaur (born 2 April 1984) is an Indian judoka. She won the bronze medal in the +78 kg weight class at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. In 2018, she competed in the women's +78 kg event at the Asian Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
- Sandeep ByalaPunjab
Sandeep Byala (born 22 November 1967) is an Indian judoka. He competed in the men's half-lightweight event at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
- Sangita MehtaIndia
Sangeeta Mehta (born 9 September 1966) is an Indian judoka. She competed in the women's heavyweight event at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
- Shah KohliIndia
Arti Solanki (née Shah Kohli; born 12 July 1976) is an Indian judoka. She competed in the women's heavyweight event at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
- Shushila LikmabamManipur
Shushila Devi Likmabam (born 1 February 1995) is an Indian judoka who won the silver medal in the women's 48 kg weight class at the judo at the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Glasgow. She hails from Manipur state in India. Likmabam had earlier pinned Chloe Rayner in the semis.
- Sunith ThakurIndia
Sunith Thakur (born 10 September 1970) is an Indian former female judoka. She represented India at the 1996 Summer Olympics, where she competed in the Women's half lightweight event. Thakur also won a bronze medal in the 1995 Asian Judo Championships.
- Tulika MaanIndia
Tulika Maan (born 9 September 1998) is an Indian judoka. She competes in the +78 kg weight class and won the silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. In 2022, Maan was ranked No.
- Unnati SharmaIndia
Unnati Sharma (born 25 March 2003) is an Indian judoka who competes in the women's 63 kg category. She won a bronze medal in the women's 63 kg event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. She has also won a gold medal at the 2026 Dakar African Open.
- Vijay Kumar YadavIndia
Vijay Kumar Yadav (born 15 April 1996) is an Indian judoka who competes in the 60 kg weight class. He won the bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
- Yamini MouryaIndia
Yamini Mourya (born 26 March 1998) is an Indian judoka who competes in the women's 57 kg category. She won the silver medal in the women's 57 kg event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. She is also the first Indian judoka to win a medal at the World University Games, doing so in 2023 at Chengdu 2021, and has won gold medals at the 2025 Hong Kong Asian Open and the 2026 Dakar African Open.
Rules
Two judoka aim to throw the opponent onto their back, pin them, or force submission with a hold, armlock or strangle. A clean, controlled throw scores ippon (instant win); a lesser throw scores waza-ari. Contests are 4 minutes (seniors), going to golden score if tied. Penalties (shido) are given for passivity or illegal grips; three shido lose the contest.
Authoritative rulebook: Judo Federation of India. Age-group and school-level variations are published by SGFI and the state associations each season.
Positions
Typical roles across combat sports. These are category-level descriptions, not a sourced judo squad list.
- Fighter / competitorContests bouts inside the ring, mat or cage in a set weight category.
- Corner / secondCoach in the corner during the bout — allowed to instruct between rounds.
- Referee & judgesOfficiate the bout, score rounds and enforce safety rules.
- Cutman / medicalManages cuts, swelling and immediate medical needs between rounds.
Equipment
Standard kit and infrastructure required to train and compete in judo at a federation-recognised event.
- Judogi (jacket, trousers) in white or blue
- Coloured belt (obi) denoting grade
- Tatami mats
- Optional groin/chest protectors as permitted
Governing/organising body
Judo Federation of India is the body we list as the Indian governing/organising body for Judo. Its recognition status as we hold it: Granted recognition as a National Sports Federation (interim body) (as at 2026). Recognition is granted year by year, so read the federation profile for the source.
- Origin
- 1882 Japan
- Olympic
- Yes
- Paralympic
- No
- Category
- Combat
Major Indian Events
Domestic competitions we hold a source for in judo.
- National Judo Championships
Organized annually by the Judo Federation of India (JFI, established 1965, affiliated to the International Judo Federation the same year) since the first edition in Hyderabad in 1966.
International Events
Continental and world-level competitions we hold a source for in judo.
- Asian Games
India made its judo debut at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games, winning four bronze medals in its first-ever international judo competition.
- Commonwealth Games
India has won medals consistently, including 3 at the 2022 Birmingham Games.
- Olympic Games
India has not yet won an Olympic judo medal. Narender Singh became the first Indian judoka to compete at two Olympics (1992, 1996). Tababi Devi won India's first judo medal at any Olympic-level event with silver at the 2018 Youth Olympics.
Leagues
No dedicated professional league is currently catalogued for judo. The national championship under Judo Federation of India remains the top domestic competition.
All leagues →International Players
Globally recognised judo athletes to know outside India.
The international federation for judo maintains the current world ranking — check the federation site for the up-to-date top names.
Career Options
Ways to build a career in judo — on the field, on the sidelines and behind the scenes.
- Playing pathway through JFI's Open National Selection Trials and National Judo Championships across cadet, junior and senior categories — top-ranked athletes become eligible for government-funded international travel
- Judo has a distinctive founding story in India: the first recorded demonstrations were arranged by Rabindranath Tagore at Shantiniketan in 1929, bringing Japanese judoka Shinzo Takagaki to teach
- Rising talent like Linthoi Chanambam — India's first World Cup gold medallist at any age category (cadet 57kg, 2021) — points to a growing pipeline
- Coaching certification through JFI
Related academies
18 listed- Inspire Institute of SportEliteVijayanagar, Karnataka · Since 2018
JSW-backed high-performance centre training Olympic medal hopefuls.
- SAI Western Centre, GandhinagarNationalGandhinagar, Gujarat · Since 1986
Western India's residential SAI centre with full sports-science support; its athletics, powerlifting and swimming programmes here are para disciplines.
- SAI North-East Regional Centre, ImphalNationalImphal, Manipur · Since 1985
Northeast's premier residential centre, running nine NCOE disciplines from archery and cycling to wushu and weightlifting.
- SAI Central Regional Centre, BhopalNationalBhopal, Madhya Pradesh · Since 1990
Hosts the only national sailing academy plus NCOE boxing, judo, wushu and kayaking & canoeing programmes.
- Sangey Lhaden Sports Academy, ChanglangNationalChanglang, Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh's Khelo India State Centre of Excellence for archery, judo and weightlifting.
- Indoor Stadium, Luhnu Sports Complex, BilaspurNationalBilaspur, Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh's Khelo India State Centre of Excellence at the Luhnu complex, Bilaspur.
- G.V. Raja Senior Secondary Sports School, ThiruvananthapuramNationalThiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Kerala's Khelo India State Centre of Excellence and the largest KISCE by trainee numbers after Madhya Pradesh and Telangana.
- Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, AizawlNationalAizawl, Mizoram
Mizoram's Khelo India State Centre of Excellence at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Aizawl.
- Dasarath Dev State Sports Complex, AgartalaNationalAgartala, Tripura
Tripura's Khelo India State Centre of Excellence at the Dasarath Dev complex, Agartala.
- Maharana Pratap Sports College, DehradunNationalDehradun, Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand's notified Khelo India State Centre of Excellence at Dehradun. Khelo India records it as non-operational.
- Veer Bahadur Singh Sports College, GorakhpurStateGorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh · Since 1988
Uttar Pradesh's 48.7-acre residential sports college at Gorakhpur, established 1988-89, with 320 trainees and every cost borne by the state.
- Sports Hostel, UnaStateUna, Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh government sports hostel at Una, providing free boarding, lodging and medical care across seven disciplines.
Government Schemes
8 listedCentral and state schemes that fund training, stipends and awards for judo athletes and academies.
- Mizoram State Sports CouncilMizoram State Sports Council Scholarship
Financial assistance provided to students for excellence in sports while pursuing education.
- Government of Maharashtra (Sports and Youth Services)Maharashtra 5% Reservation for Meritorious Sportspersons (revised policy, 2026)
On 8 September 2026 the Maharashtra Cabinet approved a revised policy for the 5 per cent parallel reservation for meritorious sportspersons in direct recruitment in state government and semi-government bodies. Sports included in at least three consecutive Summer Olympic Games after 2005 qualify, and Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Chess, Mallakhamb and Cricket have been added as regional sports. Under the revised policy, sports certificates must be verified through a digital Sports E-Certificate system within three months, and earlier government resolutions on the quota were rescinded.
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), a Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural GasIndianOil Divyashakti Para-Sports Scholarship Scheme
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), a Government of India enterprise, offers 100 para-sports scholarships (50 for men, 50 for women) in two categories, Para Scholar and Elite Para Scholar, across 16 para games including badminton. This is a public-sector company scheme, not a government department scheme. A scholarship runs for a maximum of three years, with a performance review after each year.
- Ministry of Youth Affairs and SportsCreation of Multipurpose Indoor Halls (PMSDP)
Supports the construction of indoor halls that can accommodate multiple sports, specifically in underserved areas under the Prime Minister's Development Package.
- Ministry of Youth Affairs and SportsKhelo India Youth Games (KIYG)
A flagship annual multi-disciplinary grassroots event held to identify and nurture young sporting talent at the school and college level across India.
- Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and PensionsRecruitment of Meritorious Sportspersons to Group C Posts in the Central Government (DoPT Sports Quota)
Under instructions of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), central government ministries and departments can directly recruit meritorious sportspersons to Group C posts (including erstwhile Group D) that are filled by direct recruitment, in relaxation of the normal recruitment procedure. The list of qualifying sports has 65 disciplines (63 listed in 2020, with Tennis Ball Cricket added in January 2021 and Yogasana in June 2022). Kudo, Karate, Taekwondo, Golf, Judo, Boxing, Wrestling, Badminton, Cricket and Tennis are among them. Railways and a few scientific and atomic-energy services follow separate rules.
- Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, TripuraTripura Sports Talent Search and Hostel Scheme
A scheme to identify sporting talent at a young age and provide them with residential training and education.
- Sports Authority of India (SAI)Come and Play Scheme
Allows the general public and budding athletes to use SAI's world-class stadium facilities in Delhi and other regional centers for a nominal fee.
FAQs
Common questions about judo in India.
Who governs Judo in India?▾
We list Judo Federation of India as the Indian governing/organising body for Judo, and state associations affiliated to it run age-group and state-level competition. We hold no current-year Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports recognition record for it, so this is not a statement that it is currently a recognised national sports federation — recognition is granted year by year.
Is Judo an Olympic sport?▾
Yes, Judo is on the Olympic programme. Athletes selected by Judo Federation of India against its published criteria can be considered for TOPS funding.
How do I start playing Judo in India?▾
The usual routes are a school team under the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), a college team under the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), or a private academy affiliated to your state association under Judo Federation of India. Age-group state championships follow from there.
What government schemes support Judo athletes?▾
TOPS supports a Core Group and a Development Group of disciplines selected by the Mission Olympic Cell, rather than every Olympic sport. We hold no current list confirming whether Judo is among them, so we make no TOPS claim for it. State governments give cash awards to medallists at events they notify. Judo appears on the official Khelo India Games discipline list as "Judo", so athletes identified by the discipline's selectors can be considered under Khelo India Talent Identification & Development (KITID). Appearing on the list is not itself a grant of funding.
Judo in every state & UT
Dedicated pages for Judo in each Indian state and Union Territory — academies, schemes, athletes and how to start.
- Judo in Andhra Pradesh
- Judo in Arunachal Pradesh
- Judo in Assam
- Judo in Bihar
- Judo in Chhattisgarh
- Judo in Goa
- Judo in Gujarat
- Judo in Haryana
- Judo in Himachal Pradesh
- Judo in Jharkhand
- Judo in Karnataka
- Judo in Kerala
- Judo in Madhya Pradesh
- Judo in Maharashtra
- Judo in Manipur
- Judo in Meghalaya
- Judo in Mizoram
- Judo in Nagaland
- Judo in Odisha
- Judo in Punjab
- Judo in Rajasthan
- Judo in Sikkim
- Judo in Tamil Nadu
- Judo in Telangana
- Judo in Tripura
- Judo in Uttar Pradesh
- Judo in Uttarakhand
- Judo in West Bengal
- Judo in Andaman & Nicobar Islands
- Judo in Chandigarh
- Judo in Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu
- Judo in Delhi
- Judo in Jammu & Kashmir
- Judo in Ladakh
- Judo in Lakshadweep
- Judo in Puducherry