History was created by the Indian Equestrian team as they brought the gold home for the first time in 41 years. The dressage team including Sudipti Hajela, Divyakriti Singh, Hriday Chheda and Anush Agarwalla made the nation proud on Tuesday in Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China. The horses of the Indian team had a combined score of 209.205, giving India its first gold in the sport in 41 years. At the 1982 Games in New Delhi, Raghubir Singh won gold in this event, while his last medal in dressage, a bronze, came in 1986. On the third day of the 2023 Asian Games, India bagged its third gold medal as the equestrian team secured the highest podium finish in dressage.

Netizens filled the social media with warm wishes of congratulations to the team. Sachin Tendulkar, Shivendu Adhikari, and Sanjay Kapoor are some of the celebrities who came out on X to celebrate the victory. After the medals were distributed and the National Anthem was played.

PM Modi wrote on X “It is a time of uttermost glory that after several decades, our Equestrian Dressage Team has won Gold in the Asian Games! Anush Agarwalla, Hriday Chheda, Divyakriit Singh and Sudipti Hajela have shown extreme abilities and teamwork bringing pride to India on the international stage. I extend my heartiest congratulations to the Team for this historic achievement.” 

The victory of the Indian team was particularly significant because it defeated the popular Chinese and Japanese teams. China finished second with a commendable score of 204.882, but it was not enough to match the brilliant performance of the Indian riders. The Japanese team, also considered a strong contender, faced stiff competition and ultimately missed the podium. This historic victory is a testament to the dedication, hard work and talent of the Indian equestrian team. The Team Dressage event requires a harmonious partnership between rider and horse, the key elements of which are precision, discipline and grace. Indian riders exhibited all these qualities and took their performance to the highest level.