Fifteen-year-old Indian judoka Khushbu Rajakbhai Darjada won silver in the women’s under-63kg judo category at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal on November 2, 2026. She lost to Germany’s Jolina Reinhold in the final but became only the second Indian judoka to win a medal at the Youth Olympics.
Her achievement follows Thangjam Tababi Devi’s silver medal in the women’s 44kg category at the 2018 Buenos Aires Youth Olympics. Khushbu’s performance marks an important milestone for Indian judo, with the young athlete progressing from national and Asian cadet competitions to an international Olympic podium. The overall Games are being held from October 31 to November 13, 2026.
Historic Silver Medal
Khushbu delivered a strong performance in the women’s under-63kg competition to secure her place in the final. She began her campaign with a 1-0 victory over Guinea’s Mamaissata Camara in the round of 16. She subsequently defeated Morocco’s Abir Bouazzaoui in the quarter-finals through ippon before overcoming Algeria’s Dounia Berrahoual in the semi-finals to reach the gold-medal contest.
In the final, Khushbu faced Germany’s Jolina Reinhold, who defeated her through ippon in 48 seconds. Reinhold claimed gold, while the Indian judoka finished with silver. Indonesia’s Sashenka Fatimah and Kyrgyzstan’s Aaisha Kyialbekova shared the bronze medals.
🥋𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐨! 🇮🇳 15-year-old Khushbu Rajakbhai Darjada storms into the women’s 63kg final at the #YouthOlympicGames in Dakar, Senegal, assuring India of at least a silver medal. She now has a chance to become India’s first-ever judo gold medallist at the Youth Olympics. India’s first Youth Olympic Games judo medal came through Thangjam Tababi Devi, who clinched silver in the women’s 44kg category at the 2018 Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina. #YouthOlympics #Dakar2026 #TeamIndia #Judo
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) November 2, 2026
Early Sporting Journey
Born on December 16, 2010, Khushbu competes in the women’s under-63kg category. Her sporting journey has been marked by performances at national and continental cadet-level competitions. According to the Judo Federation of India’s official selection policy, she had secured gold at the National Cadets Judo Championships and bronze at the Asian Cadets Judo Championships in 2026.
These performances established her credentials for selection to the Youth Olympic Games. Her progression reflects the importance of competitive opportunities at the cadet level in preparing young judokas for international events.
National Championship Gold
One of the significant milestones in Khushbu’s progression came at the 2026 National Cadets Judo Championships in Chandigarh, where she won gold in her weight category.
The result fulfilled an important requirement in the Judo Federation of India’s selection criteria for India’s participation in the Dakar Youth Olympic Games. The federation had stipulated that the national cadet champion in the women’s under-63kg category should also have secured a bronze medal at the Asian Cadets Judo Championships.
Asian Championship Bronze
Khushbu also secured bronze in the women’s under-63kg category at the 2026 Asian Cadets Judo Championships in Amman, Jordan.
Her continental achievement was significant because it completed the two performance requirements established by the Judo Federation of India for selection. By winning gold nationally and bronze at the Asian cadet championships, she qualified for consideration for India’s sole quota place in the women’s under-63kg category.
Road To Dakar
According to the Judo Federation of India’s selection document dated August 17, 2026, India received one quota place in judo for the Dakar Youth Olympic Games, allocated to the women’s under-63kg category.
Following its selection criteria, the federation’s selection committee chose Khushbu to represent India. It also recommended National Institute of Sports coach Satish Pahade to accompany her to the competition.
Her selection marked the culmination of her performances at national and continental competitions, giving her an opportunity to compete against some of the world’s promising young judokas.
India’s Judo Legacy
Before Khushbu’s achievement, Thangjam Tababi Devi was India’s only judo medallist at the Youth Olympic Games. She won silver in the women’s 44kg category at the 2018 Buenos Aires edition.
Eight years later, Khushbu has added another silver medal to India’s record in the sport at the competition. The Dakar 2026 judo events are scheduled from November 1 to 3, while the overall Youth Olympic Games run from October 31 to November 13.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Khushbu Darjada’s achievement highlights the importance of identifying and nurturing young sporting talent through structured opportunities, quality coaching and institutional support. Her progression from national championship gold and Asian championship bronze to a Youth Olympic silver medal demonstrates how grassroots competitions can create pathways to international success.
Sport is about more than medals. It teaches discipline, resilience, respect for opponents and the ability to accept both victories and setbacks with dignity. International sporting platforms also bring young people from different countries and cultures together, encouraging friendship, mutual respect and coexistence.
India must continue investing in grassroots sports infrastructure, accessible training facilities and qualified coaches so that more young athletes can pursue their ambitions. How can India strengthen its sporting ecosystem to help emerging athletes achieve their potential on international platforms?
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