2 Indian army men script history, win first-ever gold in World Rowing Cup

India scripted history at the 2026 World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne, Switzerland, as Lakshay and Ujjwal Kumar Singh clinched the country’s first-ever gold medal at a World Rowing Cup event on Saturday.

Competing in the Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls Final, the Indian pair produced a commanding performance to clock 6:26.09 and finish ahead of Hong Kong (6:27.14) and the Netherlands (6:27.36) in one of the closest races of the opening medal session.

The result marks a watershed moment for Indian rowing, which had never previously won a gold medal in the World Rowing Cup series - one of the sport’s most prestigious annual circuits and a key lead-up competition to the World Rowing Championships.

What made the achievement even more significant was the profile of the athletes behind it.

Lakshay and Ujjwal Kumar Singh are both serving soldiers in the Indian Army and are part of an Indian contingent in Lucerne that has been built almost entirely through the armed forces system. Of the 18-member squad competing at the regatta, 17 athletes are from the Indian Army and one from the Indian Navy - a reflection of the military’s long-standing investment in rowing infrastructure and athlete development.

ROWING: LAKSHAY AND UJJWAL CREATE HISTORY

The Indian duo entered the final against strong competition, including Hong Kong’s Lam San Tung and Chan Tik Lung, winners at World Rowing Cup I earlier this season. But Lakshay and Ujjwal rowed with authority from the front and held their advantage under pressure to secure a breakthrough result.

Their victory also underlined the growing competitiveness of Indian rowing on the international stage, particularly in non-Olympic and lightweight categories where margins are often decided by rhythm and race management rather than outright power.

Speaking to NDTV after the race, Colonel Ramakrishnan, Commanding Officer of the Army Rowing Node, described the medal as a defining moment for the sport in the country.

“This is a historic achievement for Indian rowing. Lakshay and Ujjwal Kumar Singh have won India’s first-ever gold medal at a World Rowing Cup, showcasing the immense potential of our athletes,” he said.

“Their success reflects years of hard work, discipline and world-class training at the Army Rowing Node. This victory is a proud moment for the Indian Army and the Nation, and we hope it inspires many more young athletes to pursue excellence in rowing and contribute towards India’s Olympic aspirations.”

The medal came on the opening day of finals at the iconic Rotsee course in Lucerne, widely regarded as one of rowing’s premier venues because of its calm waters and Olympic-standard 2,000-metre six-lane layout.

The three-day regatta concludes on Sunday with the Olympic-class finals still to come.

For Indian rowing, though, the biggest statement may already have been made - a first World Rowing Cup gold and a performance that could become a reference point for the sport’s ambitions in the years ahead.