Manipur rower Tendenthoi Devi Haobijam bound for 2026 Asian Games in Japan
Tendenthoi Devi Haobijam will represent India in rowing at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, 2026; this will be her second Asian Games appearance. She is entered in the Women’s Coxless Four alongside Poonam, Aleena Anto and Gurbani Kaur.
For Tendenthoi, the build-up to her second Games has involved more than accumulating international starts; it has centered on growing confidence, building crew understanding and developing within the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) high-performance environment. She made her international debut at the 2023 Asian Games and recalled her mindset at that time: "My first international competition was the Asian Games in 2023. My performance was good, but I wasn’t very confident because I was still a junior at that time. I had to learn a lot from the seniors and take their advice," she said.
Tendenthoi said prolonged time training with her teammates since last year has changed the crew dynamic and raised belief in their potential. "This time, we got the chance to practice together for a long time. We have been together since last year, so we got to know each other better and got the chance to grow together. That has given us a lot of confidence," she said.
The squad’s preparation included overseas exposure, with training camps and competitions used to test the crew under pressure. "We went to Australia for a camp and also spent a lot of time in Europe. We had the chance to compete in two or three competitions there, and we learnt a lot — how to manage a competition, how to handle pressure, how to perform with confidence and how to perform together as a crew. I learnt a lot from those experiences," Tendenthoi said.
She credited the support services available at IIS for contributing to her physical and mental readiness, highlighting changes since joining the centre. "There have been a lot of changes after coming to IIS. Earlier, we used to compete with each other, but after coming here, we feel more confident and feel that we can do much more. I have been training here throughout the year, the IIS staff takes good care of us, they look after our nutrition, physiology, and psychology," she said.
Tendenthoi described a long-standing relationship with coach Lakshmi, whom she had known since childhood and whose own career influenced her decision to take up rowing. "I have known Lakshmi since around 2007-08. I had seen her practice and seen how she brought a lot of recognition to the state. She had competed at the Asian Games, and I was inspired by her even before I started rowing. Now, when I train with her, she takes care of us and motivates us whenever we feel less confident," she said.
Her introduction to the sport was linked to early exposure to water activities near a club in Bishnupur district and sustained family encouragement through her development. "Ever since I joined rowing, my parents have supported me a lot. They always told me that I could go far if I practised hard and stayed disciplined. They supported me even when I had to stay away from home and told me to focus on myself and prove myself every day. My sister has also supported me a lot. She believes that I can win a medal at the Asian Games," she said.
Tendenthoi will contest the Women’s Coxless Four with Poonam, Aleena Anto and Gurbani Kaur at the Asian Games in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan, which run from September 19 to October 4, 2026.
