CITY’S star fencer Shruti Dharmendra Joshi has been selected in India’s 20-member fencing contingent for the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan, scheduled to begin on September 19. The Indian fencing team was declared on Monday. Shruti thus became first fencer from Nagpur to represent country in Asian Games. The Shiv Chhatrapati awardee, who recently returned with a team gold and individual bronze from the Commonwealth Fencing Championships in Lagos, Nigeria, will be participating in the sabre event. Speaking to ‘The Hitavada’ from Patiala on Monday, where the Indian team is undergoing conditioning camp, Shruti said that the selection is a huge responsibility which she will have to perform with full dedication.

 

“I was extremely happy and honestly a little emotional when I came to know about my selection,” an elated Shruti said. “At the same time it’s huge responsibility as well,” said the 23-year-old daughter of Saroj and Dharmendra. “I have worked for this opportunity for many years. As soon as I got the news of my selection, I called my parents first. Their happiness and support made the moment even more special,” she said. Born into a modest middle-class family, Shruti’s journey is a testament to raw willpower and familial sacrifice. Her father Dharmendra, a private car driver, stretched his limited resources to ensure his daughter’s athletic ambitions never stalled. “My parents made innumerable sacrifices when I started despite our limited resources,” Shruti recalled. “Later, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) provided vital infrastructure, and now my association with Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) offers me the stability to focus purely on my sport. At the end of the day, whether representing CISF or India, the duty remains the same ... to perform my best and make the country proud.”

 

Shruti became the first fencer from Nagpur to win a medal at the National Games, where her performance against India’s top fencer Bhavani Devi turned heads after she scored 10 points against the Olympian. “Scoring 10 points against an established fencer like Bhavani Devi gave me immense confidence,” she explained. “It proved to me that I can compete at highest level, while also highlighting the areas where I need to refine my game.” Under the guidance of her former coach Ankit Gajbhiye in Nagpur, Shruti laid a solid foundation before moving to SAI’s National Centre of Excellence in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, where she currently trains under national head coach Sagar S Lagu. With Asian powerhouses like Japan and South Korea posing the primary threat in Aichi-Nagoya, Shruti and Lagu have tweaked her tactical regimen for the lightning-fast sabre event. “Sabre leaves zero margin for error; speed, distance control, and tactical decision-making happen in split seconds,” she noted. “Coach Sagar Lagu and I are working specifically on faster reactions, counter-attacks, and distance management tailored against Japanese and South Korean styles. The goal is to stay calm under intense pressure.” For Shruti, the Asian Games represent a critical waypoint toward her ultimate goal—a berth at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

 

“The Asian Games will test me against world-class opposition and show me where I stand,” Shruti said. “It is a crucial stepping stone toward my ultimate dream of winning an Olympic medal.” The Indian contingent was finalised by the Fencing Association of India (FAI) selection committee based on national rankings and international results across the Asian Senior Championships, World Championships in Hong Kong, and the Lagos Commonwealth event. All selected athletes will report to NIS Patiala for a national preparatory camp concluding September 15, before flying out to Aichi-Nagoya on September 16 for final acclimatisation.