Arjun Bakshi from Yamunanagar wins silver at Asian Roller Skating Championship

Young sports prodigy Arjun Bakshi has secured a silver medal at the 20th Asian Roller Skating Championship recently held in Jecheon, South Korea, ending a nine-year medal drought for the country at the continental level.

At just 22 years of age, Arjun was entrusted with the captaincy of the Indian Men’s Roller Hockey Team, making him the youngest player in national history to lead the senior team to a silver medal at the Asian level. He was also the only player from Haryana selected for the senior men’s team.

“I received support and guidance from the players of the team, who helped me a lot throughout this championship,” said Arjun, an alumnus of Swami Vivekanand Public School, Sector 17, Jagadhri, where he has been training in the sport from an early age.

The Indian team underwent two months of intensive training ahead of the event, under the guidance of Italian coach Pino Marzella. A six-time national gold medallist, Arjun has led the Haryana state team to multiple titles over the years. In recognition of his achievements, he has been awarded over Rs 10 lakh in scholarships by the Haryana Government for his contributions to sport.

Arjun comes from a family of skaters. His father, Vishal Bakshi, also represented India at the 1995 Asian Championships in Japan, though he narrowly missed out on a medal. Twenty-five years later, that dream was realised through his son’s historic silver. “He not only bagged a medal but also created history,” said a proud family member. Arjun also represented India at the World Roller Games in Novara, Italy, in September 2024, where he emerged as the top scorer for the country.

“Without the support that my school, Swami Vivekanand Public School, Jagadhri, offered me throughout my schooling, I wouldn’t have been able to achieve such great success,” said Arjun.