After missing out on her DSP dream following a silver medal at the previous Asian Games, Prachi Choudhary returned to Nagoya determined to win gold — and even gave her measurements for a DSP uniform before leaving India
Nagoya, September 2026 : For Indian athlete Prachi Choudhary, the women’s 4x400m relay gold at the Asian Games was about much more than standing on the top step of the podium. It was the culmination of a personal ambition that had driven her since the previous edition of the continental event — and one she had already begun preparing for before arriving in Nagoya.
Prachi revealed after India’s victory on Tuesday that she had given her measurements for a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) uniform before travelling to Japan. Her expectation was clear: by the time she returned home with an Asian Games gold medal, the uniform should be ready.
The 29-year-old athlete had won a silver medal at the previous Asian Games. Under the sports policy of the Uttar Pradesh government, gold medallists are eligible for appointment as DSPs, giving Prachi an additional motivation to return to the continental stage and improve on her earlier result.
“Last year I won a silver medal at the Asian Games, so I could not become a DSP. Our Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath has a sports policy under which gold medallists are made DSPs. So, when it did not happen last year, I felt bad. I decided then that I would come to the next Asian Games and definitely win gold, no matter what,” Prachi told IANS after India’s victory.
Her determination went as far as preparing for the next chapter of her career before she had even competed.
“I had already given my measurements for the uniform at home before coming here. I told them that by the time I return, the stitched uniform should be ready because I want to wear it. After this medal, many things will happen. One of my dreams, becoming a DSP, will be fulfilled. I have had that dream for a long time,” she said.
India Triumphs in Women’s 4x400m Relay
Prachi, Kiran Pahal, M.R. Poovamma and Vithya Ramraj combined effectively to deliver India the women’s 4x400m relay gold.
The Indian quartet clocked 3:29.69, finishing ahead of Bahrain, which took silver in 3:30.21, while China claimed bronze with 3:31.02.
For the Indian team, the approach before the final was straightforward: gold was the only target.
“All four of us were saying the same thing in the team, that we had to win gold, whatever happened. We had to support each other and give the baton exchanges with as much lead as possible. That was what was going through our minds,” Prachi said.
Prachi ran the third leg of the race before handing the baton to Vithya for the final leg. The relay victory added another medal to her campaign after she had already secured an individual bronze in the women’s 400m at these Games.
The relay gold also carried deep emotional significance for the athlete, who said her greatest satisfaction would come from seeing the happiness and pride of her family.
“I will go home and show it to my father. He will be very happy, my mother will be very happy, and they will be proud of me. My biggest thing is that my family should be proud of me,” she said.
Wants Young Girls to Draw Inspiration
Prachi also hopes her journey can encourage more children, particularly young girls, to take up sport and pursue ambitious goals.
“If other young children and girls see me and feel that if I can do it, they can do it too, it will give them a boost,” she said.
She recalled how she herself was inspired as a young athlete by watching Indian sportspersons compete internationally.
“When I was young and started sports, I also saw athletes going abroad and the national anthem being played. That feeling is different. You get goosebumps when the anthem plays,” she said.
For Prachi, representing India on the international stage has therefore always involved something larger than individual success. The opportunity to contribute to a relay team, hear the national anthem and inspire the next generation has remained a significant part of her sporting journey.
Praises Government and Sporting Bodies
Following her gold-medal performance, Prachi expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and the wider sporting support system.
She particularly credited the encouragement she received from AFI president Lalit Bhanot ahead of the competition.
“Look, our government is supporting us a lot. Narendra Modi ji... I don't think any previous Prime Minister has interacted with athletes this much, motivating them and encouraging them personally. He has done a great deal for sports. You can see that ever since his government came into power, our sports sector has continued to rise and improve,” Prachi said.
She also spoke about the impact of the Uttar Pradesh government’s sports policies.
“Our Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath ji, has completely transformed sports in Uttar Pradesh. It has reached such a level that, in the coming years, you will see many world-class elite athletes emerging from Uttar Pradesh,” she said.
Prachi recalled a conversation with Bhanot before her individual race, saying that his words had given her additional motivation.
“I would also like to sincerely thank the Athletics Federation of India, especially Lalit Bhanot, sir. Before my individual race, he motivated me immensely. He had a meeting with me and told me that I had to come back with a medal. That motivated me a lot,” she said.
She added that the AFI president continued to stress the importance of bringing home gold.
“Even today, he tells me that whatever we need or whatever has to be done, the goal is to bring home the gold medal. So, I am very grateful to him for motivating me so much,” she said.
Prachi also thanked TOPS, SAI and the government for their continued assistance.
“I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has been supporting us in every possible way,” she added.
Gold Medal Is Only Another Step
Despite achieving the goal that had driven her to Nagoya, Prachi made it clear that she does not intend to slow down.
The athlete said her performance this year had included a personal best, and she now wants to build on that progress in the years ahead.
“I did well here, so I want to do even better in the coming years. I achieved my personal best this year, and I do not want to stop now,” she said.
With the Asian Championships, World Championships and Olympics among the major competitions ahead, Prachi knows that her next targets will require continued preparation.
“There are many events ahead: the Asian Championships, World Championships and then the Olympics. I have to keep moving forward,” she said.
For now, however, the Nagoya gold has brought together several of her ambitions — an Asian Games title, a moment of pride for her family and the prospect of fulfilling a long-held dream of wearing the DSP uniform she had already imagined herself in before arriving at the Games.
