By Sachit Subba • Off-Field • Jul 14, 2026 12:56 PM • 140 views
KATHMANDU — In a formal ceremony structured to galvanise the nation's elite athletes, the Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) has hosted a farewell for the national wrestling squad as they embark on a crucial two-month international preparatory camp in India ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
The high-stakes delegation, comprising four male grapplers and two female athletes, was honoured by top sports dignitaries at the NOC headquarters on Tuesday. The intensive overseas camp, scheduled to run from July 17 through September 15, is designed to entirely overhaul the squad's tactical execution, mental endurance, and physical conditioning before they challenge Asia's elite in Japan.
Comprehensive High-Performance Deployment
Rather than setting up a singular base, the Nepalese grapplers are slated to rotate through several top-tier Indian wrestling hubs, with a primary developmental block anchored at the prestigious Nandini Nagar Academy in Uttar Pradesh. This multi-location exposure ensures that the athletes consistently square off against diverse, high-calibre sparring partners, forcing rapid adaptation to varying combat styles.
The selected operational roster features a balanced blend of weight categories engineered to optimise Nepal’s medal prospects:
Men's Freestyle: Suresh Chunara (74 kg), Nikhil Raj Patel (86 kg), Raj Yadav (125 kg), and Yadav Kishore Ram (65 kg).
Women’s Division: Sushila Chand (62 kg) and Shivangi Dubey (77 kg).
To ensure strict technical oversight and seamless operational execution, the six athletes are supported by a dedicated three-person support staff. Head coach Rajendra Chand will spearhead all mat-side strategies and technical drills, supported by team manager Khagendra Bahadur Basnet and assistant manager Mumtaz Ali.
Direct Continental Trajectory
During the send-off, NOC President Jiban Ram Shrestha, alongside Secretary General Rajeev Shrestha, offered commendations, emphasising the critical importance of this overseas window. Nepal Wrestling Association President Prakash Kusari, alongside NOC Secretary Bhim Gurung, similarly monitored the final administrative clearance.
Addressing the departing contingent, President Shrestha noted that the upcoming continental games demand a standard of performance that can only be built through absolute immersion in elite environments. He urged both the coaching staff and the athletes to block out peripheral distractions and treat every single session in India as a direct simulator for the Asian Games.
Underlining the deliberate logistical planning behind this campaign, President Kusari confirmed that the squad will not return to Kathmandu at the conclusion of their Indian camp. Instead, the entire unit will fly out directly from India to Japan. The 20th Asian Games are officially scheduled to run from September 19 to October 4 across the Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya City, leaving the Nepalese wrestlers perfectly acclimated, conditioned, and peaked for the ultimate opening bell.
