Tanvi Patri included in India’s 17-member squad for Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics
Shuttler Tanvi Patri has been named in India’s 17-member athlete contingent for the Dakar 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Senegal, scheduled to take place from October 31 to November 13, 2026. The Indian Olympic Association made the announcement naming the squad that will travel to Dakar.
The IOA said the delegation spans 11 sports and consists of 17 athletes selected for the Youth Olympics, which are open to competitors up to 17 years of age. Organisers expect around 2,700 young athletes from 207 delegations to compete across 25 sports at the event, which will be the first Olympic event held on the African continent. The Youth Olympic Games combine international competition with programmes for learning and cultural exchange for participating athletes.
India’s contingent will include competitors in archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, equestrian, judo, sailing, swimming, table tennis, beach wrestling and wushu. Among the selections is badminton player Tanvi Patri, who will take part in the women’s singles event at Dakar. The IOA noted that her inclusion adds to India’s representation in a sport where the country has established a strong presence on the international stage.
IOA president P. T. Usha commented on the squad’s prospects, saying: “Dakar 2026 is an important milestone for our young athletes. They represent the future of Indian sport, and among them may be the champions who will represent India at Brisbane 2032 and beyond,” Usha said. She also extended her best wishes to the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee and the Senegalese Olympic Committee. Usha described the hosting of the first Olympic event in Africa as a historic moment for the Olympic Movement.
The IOA expects the Games to provide a platform for engagement with other National Olympic Committees on talent identification, athlete development and pathways from youth sport to elite competition. The association said such exchanges could inform India’s preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Amdavad and the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane. Those development and pathway discussions are part of the IOA’s stated objectives for participation in Dakar.
During the Games, IOA leadership is expected to sign memoranda of understanding on sports cooperation and exchange with National Olympic Committees of several African countries. The agreements are intended to promote athlete and coach exchanges, the sharing of technical expertise and training practices, and wider cooperation between sporting organisations. The IOA indicated these partnerships aim to strengthen bilateral sporting ties.
Among India’s representatives is table tennis player Sarthak Arya, who described the Youth Olympics as a step on his long-term path: “The Youth Olympics will be a stepping-stone in my journey. I dream of representing India at the Commonwealth Games in Amdavad in 2030 and then at the Olympic Games in Brisbane in 2032,” Arya said. He also expressed hope of competing at a future Olympic Games in India, should the country secure the opportunity to host the 2036 edition.
The IOA has wished the athletes, coaches and support staff success as they prepare to represent India in Senegal. During the event, IOA president P. T. Usha is expected to formalise sports cooperation through memoranda of understanding with National Olympic Committees from several African countries, including Namibia and Mauritius.
