Amit Shah Praises Anahat Singh for Historic Squash Championship Win
Amit Shah Congratulates Anahat Singh
On Sunday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah extended his congratulations to Anahat Singh for her remarkable victory at the World Junior Squash Championships. He noted that her gold medal achievement and status as the first Indian to win this esteemed title would serve as motivation for future squash athletes.
Anahat's Historic Victory
Anahat made history by defeating Egypt's Ruqayya Salem with a score of 3-0 in the girls' singles final on Saturday, marking her as the first Indian champion of the World Squash Junior Championships.
In a post on X, Amit Shah remarked, "India achieves a significant milestone in Squash. Congratulations to Anahat Singh for making history by winning the Gold medal at the 2026 World Squash Junior Championships. Your accomplishment as the first Indian to secure this prestigious title paves the way for aspiring squash players."
A Dominant Campaign to Gold
As the top seed and India's leading player, Anahat triumphed over the second seed Salem with scores of 11-3, 11-7, and 11-9, thus surpassing Joshna Chinappa's previous best performance as a runner-up in 2005, which had stood for over twenty years, according to Olympics.com.
The 18-year-old displayed exceptional skill throughout the final, concluding a dominant tournament where she lost only two games across six matches.
Path to the Final
Anahat commenced her journey with a straight-games victory against Australian qualifier Lilly Wilson, followed by wins over Hong Kong's Pui Yin Chloe Lo and Malaysia's Doyce Ye San Lee to reach the quarterfinals.
In the quarterfinals, she defeated Egypt's Habiba Rizk 3-1 (11-7, 11-5, 6-11, 11-9) and then overcame another Egyptian, Barb Sameh, 3-1 (11-3, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6) in the semifinals.
Her final victory over Salem not only marked a personal achievement but also ended Egypt's long-standing dominance in the junior girls' world championship, a title held by Egyptian players since 2011. Anahat had previously ended India's 15-year wait for an individual medal at the junior world championships last year by winning bronze in Cairo, and this time she advanced to gold.
Other Indian Performances
Anahat was the sole Indian player to advance significantly in the girls' singles category. Other players, including Rudra Singh, Anika Dubey, and Saanvi Kalanki, were eliminated in the round of 32.
In the boys' singles, Aryaveer Dewan, the reigning Asian junior champion, was the top performer for India, reaching the last 16. Yusha Nafees and Gurveer Singh were knocked out in the round of 32, while Purav Rambhia exited in the round of 64.
Looking Ahead to Olympic Debut
Currently ranked No. 20 in the world on the senior PSA Tour, Anahat aims to build on her historic success as squash prepares for its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.