India's Sabre Fencers Intensify Training at SAI's Patiala High Performance Centre
The newly operational Sports Authority of India's High Performance Centre at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports in Patiala is currently resonating with the distinctive metallic clang of blades. This sound marks the intense training sessions of India's premier sabre fencers as they prepare for a crucial competitive season.
National Camp Focuses on Upcoming Championships and Asian Games Qualification
With the Senior Asian Fencing Championships scheduled to be hosted in India for the first time this June, the national camp has assumed heightened significance and urgency. Organized by the Sports Authority of India, this camp has assembled the nation's finest senior and junior sabre fencers. The primary objective is comprehensive preparation for imminent World Cup events, the Asian Championships, and the vital Asian Games qualification cycle.
As the current intensive training phase concludes, the momentum will continue with the next national camp slated to return to NSNIS Patiala in April. "We currently have 12 senior boys and 12 senior girls training in sabre. Alongside them, the top four each of cadet and junior boys and girls are also part of the camp," explained SAI's senior fencing coach and national chief coach, Sagar Lagu.
He emphasized the camp's developmental philosophy, stating, "The idea is to create an environment where younger fencers can observe and learn from the seniors while preparing for the Junior Asian Championships."
Strategic Emphasis on Team Events and Ranking Improvements
According to Coach Lagu, the strategic focus is particularly sharp on team events as India aims to bolster its standing in continental rankings. "In sabre, our women's team is currently ranked seventh in Asia and the men's team sixth. Being in the top eight puts us in a competitive bracket, but our aim is to improve those rankings through the upcoming competitions," he asserted.
The immediate competitive targets include several World Cup events, followed by the Asian Championships set for New Delhi from June 18 to 26. Crucially, four World Cup events for men's and women's sabre will provide essential ranking points that contribute directly to Asian Games qualification.
Coach Lagu also highlighted the inspirational role of trailblazers like Olympian Bhavani Devi, who secured an individual bronze medal at the 2023 Asian Championship. "Performances like hers show the next generation what is possible," Lagu affirmed, underscoring the motivational impact on younger athletes.
Fencer Journeys: From Chance Beginnings to Professional Excellence
Among the dedicated athletes at the camp is Tamil Nadu's KP Gisho Nidhi, a soldier in the Indian Army and one of the country's most seasoned sabre fencers. A four-time National Games gold medallist and two-time national champion, Nidhi also earned an individual bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Championship in London and has competed at the Asian Games.
"My journey began quite by chance," he recalled. "In school, fencing was introduced around 2004. I used to play kabaddi, but my teacher encouraged me to try fencing. I played my first nationals in 2006 and the following year I met a Major who selected me for the Army Sports Institute."
This transition proved transformative. "At the Army Sports Institute we had access to foreign coaches and structured training. That helped build a strong foundation," said Nidhi, who subsequently won India's first international junior Commonwealth medal in 2012.
His upcoming competition schedule is densely packed: "We have events in Italy and Budapest in March, then World Cups, the Asian Championships in Delhi in June and then an event in Hong Kong in July. These tournaments will determine our ranking for Asian Games qualification. The top eight teams will make it."
Infrastructure Advancements and Athlete Perspectives
For Vishal Thapar, a fencer from Jammu and Kashmir who has been training at NSNIS Patiala since 2019, fencing originated as a summer curiosity. "During a summer vacation, I went to the local stadium with friends and saw people fencing," he shared. "It looked unique and exciting, so I spoke to the coaches and started learning. What began as fun gradually turned into my profession." Thapar has since claimed gold at the Commonwealth Championship and represented India at Asian and World Championships.
Thapar believes the new infrastructure at the High Performance Centre represents a significant leap forward for Indian fencing. "Earlier, facilities like gym access, physiotherapy and specialised coaching were mostly available during camps. Now athletes have all of that integrated into their regular training," he observed.
Punjab's Sanya, another accomplished sabre fencer in the camp, traces her journey to a school experiment. The Sangrur native first handled a blade at age 12 when fencing was introduced at her school. "I wanted to try something different. What started as fun soon became serious when I got selected for the nationals," she recounted.
Sanya secured her first mini national medal in 2012 and was selected for a SAI training programme at just 15. A student of Guru Nanak Foundation School, she credits early guidance from coaches Mohit and Krishan for shaping her career. "I was the first in my family to pursue sports professionally. My mother always encouraged me to excel not only in academics but also in other fields," Sanya noted. Today, even her younger sister has embraced sports, competing in shooting.
Reflecting on the sport's evolution, the young fencer remarked that the ecosystem has improved dramatically over the past decade. "Back in 2015 we didn't have so many facilities. Now athletes have support in nutrition, sports psychology, recovery and hydrotherapy. It makes a big difference," she added.
Unified Goal: Strong Asian Games Qualification for India
With the Asian Championships arriving in India for the inaugural time and Asian Games qualification on the immediate horizon, the trio—alongside numerous other athletes in the Patiala camp—are honing their skills with a collective objective.
"Our focus is simple," says Thapar, encapsulating the camp's spirit. "Stay consistent, keep improving, and make sure India qualifies strongly for the Asian Games."
