A group of 23 athletes supported by the Reliance Foundation is set to compete at the World University Games, which will take place across six cities in Germany and continue until July 27. These athletes, participating in athletics, archery, and judo, are aiming to boost their global rankings, set new personal records, and make their country proud.
Athletics makes up the core of the Foundation’s participation, with 18 athletes lined up to compete in various disciplines including sprints, jumps, throws, hurdles, relays, long jump, and decathlon, starting from July 21.
James Hillier, Director of Athletics at Reliance Foundation, stressed the significance of the event, saying, “The World University Games is a major competition for us. It’s one of the rare occasions where athletes get to compete in a multi-sport setting, interact with peers from other sports, and push each other to perform at their best.”
Commenting on his hopes for the team, Hillier added, “Our main goal is for every athlete to finish ahead of their current ranking. We believe in superior preparation — it’s not just about who’s the most talented, but who’s the best prepared.”
Sprinter Animesh Kujur, fresh off a strong run at the U23 200m race in the Monaco Diamond League (Meeting Herculis EBS), will aim to build on that form in Germany. He also features in the all-Reliance Foundation men’s relay team, alongside Manikanta Hoblidhar, Gurindervir Singh, DM Jayaram, and Lalu Prasad Bhoi. This team aims to show both unity and performance, reflecting the Foundation’s goal of building world-class relay squads.
Moumita Mondal, who recently clocked a personal best of 13.24 seconds in the 100m hurdles — making her India’s fourth fastest ever in the event — will also be competing in the long jump. She will face off against her RF training partner, Ancy Sojan, who comes with a personal best of 6.71m. Their friendly rivalry is expected to push both athletes to excel at the Games.
Key athletes to watch in athletics:
The athletics cohort comprises of: Jeswin Aldrin (Long Jump), Ancy Sojan (Long Jump), Moumita Mondal (100mH, Long Jump), Animesh Kujur (200m, 4×100), Manikanta Hoblidhar (100m, 4×100), Gurindervir Singh (100m, 4×100), DM Jayaram (4×100), Lalu Prasad Bhoi (4x100m), Harshita Sehrawat (Hammer Throw), Sahil Silwal (Javelin Throw), Karishma Sanil (Javelin Throw), Kiran Matre (10000m), Seema (10000m), Shreevarthani SK (400mH), Poorna Raorane (Shot Put), Reegan Ganesan (Pole Vault), Jasbir Nayak (Decathlon)
Quiet Power in Archery and Judo: Under the Reliance Foundation Scholarship Program, several talented athletes in archery and judo will also compete in Germany, adding strength in less spotlighted sports.
Archery: Mrinal Chauhan and Vishnu Choudhary – Recurve (Men), Kushal Dalal – Compound (Men)
Judo: Himanshi Tokas (Below 63kg) – A gold medallist at the Jr. Asian Cup 2025 in Taipei, Himanshi aims to continue her winning streak on the university stage.
About Reliance Foundation:
Since 2013, Reliance Foundation’s sports initiatives have impacted over 23 million young people across India, spanning more than 13,000 schools and colleges. The Foundation is particularly focused on promoting female participation in sports and ensuring equal opportunities for girls. Its grassroots-to-elite sports programme supports over 200 athletes across more than 10 Olympic disciplines and runs three top-tier training centres for athletics. It collaborates with key institutions like the IOC, IOA, AFI, and the Odisha government. In football, the Foundation runs the country’s top-rated academy — Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) — which has produced players now featuring in ISL clubs. It also organizes four football leagues across different age levels and regions to strengthen India’s football ecosystem.
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