From grueling train journey to Asian bronze medal: Inunganbi breaks India’s 13-year drought

When Inunganbi Takhellambam competed in a national age-group competition more than a decade ago, she had to endure the three-day journey without reservation.Inugambi, who is from Manipur, and other judokas from the state first traveled to Dimapur in Nagaland and then took a train to Kolkata. After changing trains there, they continue to their destination – whether it’s Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh or somewhere in the south – a journey that usually takes several more days.Push boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!“Sometimes we would sit on the floor next to the washroom for two or three days while traveling. Even though the journey was tough and the games were played without the presence of a coach, I always brought home a medal – it felt as good as winning a gold medal,” Inunganbi told TOI in an interview.The experience proved she was motivated enough to keep going, and last month she won a bronze medal in the Chinese city of Ordos, becoming the first Indian to win a medal at the Asian Judo Championships in 13 years.In the bronze medal match, Inugambi defeated Mongolia’s Saranzeg. One of the first people to congratulate her was Angom Anita Chanu, who won the women’s -52kg bronze medal at the 2013 Asian Championships.While this is not Inugambi’s first international medal, she is now aiming to qualify for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. However, her first coach Deven Moirangthem wanted her to aim for more than just an Olympic medal.“When she first came to me in 2008, I was impressed by her fearless attitude. She also had a slender physique suitable for judo,” said Moirangthem, her father’s close friend, who gave her initial training at the Kuman Rampark Sports Center in Imphal.Within a year, she moved to the National Sports Academy and joined the Sports Authority of India (SAI) center in 2014, after which she started participating in national-level competitions regularly.In 2017, she received her first call-up from India and was selected for the Asian Youth Judo Championships, marking her entry into international competitions. In the same year, she joined Inspire Institute of Sports (IIS).But a year later, she suffered a major setback when she injured her left knee and was bedridden for several months. “In 2018, I was very weak and unfamiliar with gym training, so it took me a long time to recover,” the 27-year-old said.However, she came back stronger and won her first senior gold medal in 2022, and although national medals followed, the international title remained out of reach until she won gold at the Asian Open in Amman in 2025.Most of these improvements come from IIS support systems. “I had represented India at international level even before arriving here, but this is where I really understood what elite preparation means,” said Inunganbi, who currently trains under Baye Diawara in Bellari.Apart from coaching and support staff at IIS, she also has strong support from her parents and husband, Olympic boxer Ashish Kumar Chaudhary, which she hopes will be enough to push her to the top in the coming days.