The 19th Asian Games has over 650 Indian athletes, its biggest contingent ever, representing the country at the continent’s showpiece event. Reliance Foundation has launched the #LehraDoTeamIndia campaign to celebrate the Indian athletes and encourage the fans to get behind them with the iconic 'Lehra Do' cry as they aim to seek glory for the nation and make the tricolour fly high in Hangzhou, China.

The campaign features some of India’s most decorated and celebrated athletes as well as athletes who will be appearing at the Asian Games for the first time and have immense promise. Among the stars to feature in the campaign are two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu as well as hockey legends PR Sreejesh and Sushila Chanu. It also features veterans Achanta Sharath Kamal (Table Tennis) and Virdhawal Khade (Aquatics), who have represented India at multiple Asian Games. Avinash Sable (Steeplechase) will be looking to add an Asian Games medal to his Commonwealth Games medal from last year, while Tejaswin Shankar (Decathlon) will look to add a decathlon medal to his bronze in high jump from the Commonwealth Games last year.

The campaign also has an eye on the future by including Shaili Singh (Long Jump), Anupama Upadhyaya (Badminton), Simranjeet Kaur (Archery), Mayuri Lute (Cycling) and Yash Tushir (Wrestling), who will all be making their first appearance at the Asian Games but are already among the brightest talents in the country. Abhinav Bindra, the 1st Indian to win an individual Gold at the Olympics, also headlines the campaign. The campaign has been brought to life by Ogilvy India.

650+ Indian athletes. One passion. To make India proud at the Asian Games 2022. All the very best, #TeamIndia. 𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙝 𝙠𝙖 𝙣𝙖𝙖𝙢 𝙙𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙮𝙖 𝙥𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙝𝙧𝙖 𝙙𝙤! 🇮🇳@ril_foundation @WeAreTeamIndia @19thAGofficial | #LehraDoTeamIndia #WeAreTeamIndia #Cheer4India… pic.twitter.com/wW5nJwLLzB

— RF Youth Sports (@RFYouthSports) September 24, 2023

Reliance Foundation athletes seek glory at Asian Games: Reliance Foundation’s athletes have been in fine form this year, putting in impressive displays at the World Championships in athletics and boxing, the Asian Athletics Championships as well as the World University Games.

A total of 19 athletes from the Reliance Foundation will be competing at the Asian Games this year, including Lovlina Borgohain, Jyothi Yarraji, Amlan Borgohain, Jinson Johnson, Manika Batra, Shiva Thapa, Man Singh, Mohammed Afsal, Gulveer Singh, Kartik Kumar, Dhruv Kapila, Anupama Upadhyaya, Simranjeet Kaur, Vicky, Mrinal Chauhan, Tushar Shelke, Ganemat Sekhon, Palak Gulia and Kishore Kumar Jena.

Reliance Foundation also runs the largest corporate sports programs for the development of sports across the nation. Reliance Foundation’s Sports for Development initiatives have been helping kids across the nation to help achieve their sports dreams. These sports programs have a mass reach - promoting inclusivity, providing sponsorships, and sports science and nutrition assistance for the elite as well as promising upcoming athletes.

Reliance Foundation celebrates the spirit of sports – joy, health, grit, determination, winning and losing. And works to ensure that more and more children and youth from all sections of society are able to play sports and, in the process, build a fitter, stronger and more active India. Our initiatives have touched the lives of over 22 million young people since 2013 across the country from 13,000+ schools and colleges, enabling an opportunity for a talented kid anywhere to be able to achieve their dream of a career/glory in sports. We are especially committed to ensuring more presence and success of girl and women athletes in India and design our programmes in a manner that offers them maximum opportunities. At Reliance Foundation, we hope to be the wind beneath the wings of Indian sportspersons and help them reach their true potential.

For more information please follow us on https://www.rfyouthsports.com/

Reliance Foundation athlete, Jyothi Yarraji secured a silver medal in the 200m event, adding to her earlier gold medal in the 100m hurdles on July 16, 2023, the final day of action at the Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok, Thailand.

Another athlete from Reliance Foundation, Gulveer Singh also put on an impressive performance on the same day to win bronze in the 5,000m event.

Yarraji was in inspired form in the final, running her personal best of 23.13s to win silver behind Singapore’s Veronica Shanti Pereira, who won gold with a time of 22.70s to set a new Championship record.

Singh clocked a time of 13:48.33s in the final to finish third behind the Japanese duo of Hyuga Endo (13:34.94s) and Kazuya Shiojiri (13:43.92s).

Earlier in the competition, Singh had finished fifth in the 10,000m event on the opening day of the competition after finishing with a time of 29:53.69s.

Our 🇮🇳 flag flying high while the national anthem plays - the stuff of dreams! ✨

Nothing but proud to see Jyothi Yarraji bringing glory to our nation at the highest stage & this is just the beginning... 🙌

📽️: Asian Athletics Championships 2023

Reliance Foundation Youth… pic.twitter.com/wkjzjIkEkM

— Reliance Foundation (@ril_foundation) July 14, 2023

Yarraji said she was pleased to overcome various challenges to finish with two medals. “When I started the 100m hurdles event, there was rain and a false start too. So I’m very happy to return with two medals. I’m glad to achieve a personal best in the 200m event in spite of being sick. I will now look to do well at the Asian Games and the World Championships. I will also speak to my coach about the areas that I can further improve upon.”

Ready ,Set, Go! 🚀🔥Celebrate the inspiring triumph of @gulveer__singh as he leaves his mark on the Asian Athletics Championship 2023, securing a bronze medal in the 5,000 m race. A true testament to dedication, passion, and the pursuit of excellence! 🌟🏆@rfyouthsports |… pic.twitter.com/3wZI99XUvt

— Reliance Foundation (@ril_foundation) July 17, 2023

James Hillier, Athletics Director, Reliance Foundation, commended the athletes for their efforts. “Gulveer ran a very good tactical race. He conserved energy at the beginning and when the athletes in front of him started tiring, he used that to his advantage. He won bronze quite comfortably. He had just recovered from a blister on his foot and he showed immense heart to win that medal.”

He also credited Yarraji for her fortitude in winning two medals and getting a new personal best. “When I first told people that Jyothi could win a medal in the 200m at the Asian Championships, they would not believe it. She has done that now. To do it with two personal bests is absolutely amazing. She woke up with a fever this morning and was vomiting, so that was an incredible effort by her, not just to compete but to also win a medal. She is a champion, because champions find a way to get a result even when the chips are down and she did that.”

India ended the Asian Athletics Championship campaign in third place on the medal table with 27 medals, including six golds, 12 silvers, and nine bronzes.