Satnam Singh and Salman Khan: From Different Paths to Asian Games Bronze

Satnam Singh and Salman Khan combined to win India's first-ever Asian Games medal in the men's double sculls, with their paths to the podium coming from two very different sporting journeys.

Indian rowing produced a historic moment at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya as Satnam Singh and Salman Khan won bronze in the men's double sculls.

The Indian pair clocked 6:13.25 at the Nagaragawa International Regatta Course, finishing behind China's Yi Xudi and Yide Nie and Uzbekistan's Pavel Sorin and Mekhrojbek Mamatkulov.

The medal was India's first-ever in the men's double sculls at the Asian Games. For Satnam, it was a second Asian Games medal after his bronze in the men's quadruple sculls at Hangzhou 2023. For Salman, it was his maiden Asian Games medal.

But the significance of their achievement extends beyond the podium. The two rowers arrived at the Asian Games through markedly different routes, with Satnam switching from national-level handball and Salman taking up rowing only after joining the Indian Army.

Who is Salman Khan, Indian Rower at Asian Games?

For Salman Khan, the journey to an Asian Games podium began far away from elite rowing.

The 28-year-old was born in Pure Dhingai in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi district and grew up as the eldest of six siblings. His father, Mohd Kasim Khan, worked in truck-body construction in Tauru, Haryana, where Salman completed his schooling.

His life changed when his father died of dengue when Salman was 18.

With the responsibility of supporting his younger siblings, his plans of joining the Indian Army were put on hold. Instead, Salman moved to Delhi and worked as an Uber driver to support his family.

His Army dream, however, did not disappear.

A friend suggested that his physical build and height could make him suitable for the armed forces. Salman eventually stopped driving the cab, spent four months preparing for recruitment and cleared the recruitment rally, medical and written examinations.

He joined the Bombay Engineer Group in Pune on September 25, 2018.

It was there that he was introduced to rowing.

From Army recruit to national champion

Coaches Satywan, Satish Siraat and Prabhat Mishra spotted Salman's physical potential and encouraged him to try rowing.

It was not a sport Salman had planned to pursue. He was initially reluctant, but his coaches persisted and eventually put him into a boat.

His first inter-centre regatta ended with a silver medal, giving him the confidence to continue. He subsequently won medals at battalion and inter-centre competitions before clearing the ergometer benchmarks in 2021 and earning selection for the Army Rowing Node at CME Pune.

Even then, Salman came close to walking away from rowing twice. His coaches, however, convinced him to continue.

Senior coach Kudrat Ali and Training Officer Major Nagendra Hooda subsequently played a role in his development.

The results began to follow.

Salman won gold at the 36th National Games in Gujarat in 2022 and also claimed the indoor national title that year. In 2023, he won silver at the Senior National Championships and gold at the Open Sprint National Championships.

He also represented India at the World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne in 2023.

Salman was inducted into the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) in 2023, receiving financial support for training and competition. He won gold at the 37th National Games in Goa later that year before claiming gold at the Asian Rowing Cup in 2024.

That performance also earned him a promotion to the rank of Naib Subedar in the Indian Army.

He continued to build his international record in 2025, winning silver at the Australian Rowing Championships in Tasmania and the Asian Rowing Championships in Vietnam. He also won gold at the 38th National Games in Uttarakhand and the 42nd Senior National Rowing Championships in Bhopal.

The Asian Games podium was the latest milestone.

Who is Satnam Singh, Rowing Bronze Medallist at Asian Games?

Satnam Singh's journey into rowing also began in another sport.

The 26-year-old from Fatta Maluka village in Punjab's Mansa district was a national-level handball player before switching to rowing around 2018.

Olympian Swarn Singh Virk, who won Asian Games gold in the lightweight double sculls in 2018, recognised Satnam's physical potential and encouraged him to make the switch.

Satnam quickly made an impression.

He represented India at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, finishing eighth in the men's pair. He subsequently established himself as one of India's leading rowers and won the men's single sculls title at the 40th Senior National Rowing Championships, becoming the first Indian Navy rower to claim the event.

His first Asian Games medal came at Hangzhou in 2023, where he was part of India's bronze-winning men's quadruple sculls crew.

Satnam added another significant international title in 2025, winning gold in the men's quadruple sculls at the Asian Rowing Championships in Vietnam. He also won silver in the men's double sculls at the Indoor Asian Championships.

The 2026 Asian Games brought another medal - but in a different boat.

How did Satnam Singh and Salman Khan come together?

The partnership between Satnam and Salman was the product of a late reshuffle in India's rowing team.

The duo had initially been part of the men's quadruple sculls crew before being moved into the double sculls. Other members of the team were also shifted between events, with the changes coming only days before the rowing competition.

Despite the disruption, Satnam and Salman adapted to their new combination.

In the final, the Indians remained firmly in medal contention for most of the race. They were second at the 500m, 1,000m and 1,500m marks before being overtaken in the closing stages.

China's Yi Xudi and Yide Nie took gold in 6:09.77, while Uzbekistan's Pavel Sorin and Mekhrojbek Mamatkulov won silver in 6:10.49.

Satnam and Salman crossed the line in 6:13.25 to secure bronze.

A historic medal for Indian rowing

The result gave Satnam his second Asian Games medal and Salman his first.

More importantly, it gave Indian rowing its first-ever Asian Games medal in the men's double sculls.

Their routes to the podium could hardly have been more different: one came from national-level handball, while the other was driving an Uber in Delhi before joining the Army.

But on the Nagaragawa International Regatta Course, they were in the same boat - and together, Satnam Singh and Salman Khan made Asian Games history.