Pranati Nayak's Journey to the Commonwealth and Asian Games Supported by Government Initiatives
Government Support for Gymnast Pranati Nayak
Indian gymnast Pranati Nayak is gearing up for the 2026 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, thanks to the unwavering backing from the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). A recent announcement highlighted the provision of international exposure, foreign training, national coaching camps, and ongoing support for her and the gymnastics team.
Training for Senior Asian Championships
Pranati, who represented India at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, is currently participating in the Senior and Junior Women's Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) National Coaching Camp at the High Performance Centre (HPC) in Bhubaneswar. This camp, running from May 22 to June 20, is aimed at preparing for the 13th Senior Asian Championships scheduled in Zunyi, China, from June 25 to 28. She is a key member of the Indian Senior WAG team for this event.
Financial Support for Training Camp
The Bhubaneswar camp has been sanctioned a budget of Rs 23.52 lakh, accommodating 21 participants, including senior and junior gymnasts, coaches, and support staff. For the upcoming continental championships in China, the government has allocated Rs 36.59 lakh to support the Indian Senior & Junior WAG contingent, which consists of 17 members, including athletes, coaches, and support personnel.
Personalized Assistance Through TOPS
Under the TOPS initiative, Pranati has received substantial personalized support. A financial grant of Rs 5.89 lakh was approved for her, along with her coach Ashok Kumar Mishra and physiotherapist Dr. Sweta Attili, to participate in the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Challenge Cup in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from May 19 to 25, where she secured a silver medal.
Enhancing India's Gymnastics Program
In a significant move to bolster India's gymnastics framework ahead of the Olympic and Asian Games cycle, TOPS allocated Rs 75.65 lakh for an international training camp in the UK from November 15 to December 15 last year, along with funding for two international competitions held in February and April this year. Although Pranati was part of the 16-member Indian gymnastics team, she could not attend due to an injury.
Earlier this year, SAI also approved a Senior National Coaching Camp for gymnastics at HPC Bhubaneswar from February 11 to March 15, as part of the preparations for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games 2026. This camp included 27 participants, comprising senior male and female gymnasts.