Nitesh Siwach wins Asian Games Silver: From serving Milk with Father, Nitesh creates History for India

Nitesh Siwach scripted a remarkable chapter in Indian wrestling history by winning the silver medal in the men's Greco-Roman 97kg category at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya. Siwach went down 0-4 to Japan's Yuri Nakazato in the gold-medal bout at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Centre.

Despite missing out on gold, the 23-year-old Haryana wrestler created history by becoming the first Indian Greco-Roman wrestler in 64 years to reach an Asian Games final.

The previous Indian to reach the final was Ganpat Andalkar at the 1962 Asian Games, where he won gold. Siwach's silver therefore represents India's best-ever finish in the Greco-Roman category at the Asian Games since that historic success. But behind the medal lies a story of resilience and a second chance.

Born in Jagsi village in Haryana, Siwach initially went to Pratap School in 2012 intending to play kabaddi. However, his father Anand, a milkman who had always dreamed of seeing his son become a wrestler, encouraged him to take up wrestling. Nitesh began training and spent around two years developing his skills before a serious knee injury and subsequent surgery forced him away from the sport.

During his nearly two-year absence from wrestling, Nitesh helped his father with milk deliveries, travelling door-to-door as the family dealt with the uncertainty surrounding his sporting future. For a period, it appeared that his wrestling journey could be over before it had truly begun.

However, Nitesh refused to let the setback define his life. He approached his parents and asked for six months to make another attempt at wrestling. His family agreed, and he soon won a medal at the School Nationals, giving him the confidence to pursue the sport once again.

His comeback continued to gather momentum. Siwach won bronze at the 2025 Asian Wrestling Championships before improving that result to silver at the 2026 Asian Championships.

"Honestly, I still can't believe it, I have won a silver medal at the Asian Games. My father always told me there was no looking back once I started this journey, that I had to bring home a medal, and today, I did it for him. No one from my weight category had ever won a medal here before, so there was a lot of pressure, but I trusted my training and gave everything I had. Maine apne desh ka Tiranga lehra diya," Nitesh said after the Silver medal haul.

The wrestler also credited Inspire Institute of Sport for their help and role in his journey. At the Asian Games, he defeated Turkmenistan's Amanberdi Agamammedov 7-1 in the quarterfinal before producing a stunning 9-0 technical-superiority win over Mongolia's Gankhuyag Ganbaatar in the semifinal.

From helping his father deliver milk to standing on an Asian Games podium, Nitesh Siwach's journey is one of perseverance, resilience and a remarkable second chance. His silver medal has also placed his name among the most significant Greco-Roman wrestlers in Indian Asian Games history.