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Pune Grand Tour kicks off today; In the race, representing India

Here we have a look at the players of the two Indian Teams participating in the race - The Indian National Team and the Indian Development Team. Each team has six riders and will be contesting with teams from 35 countries. A total of 171 riders from 29 teams will be participating in the event.

6 min readPuneJan 19, 2026 07:22 AM IST

Australian cyclist Fergus Browning wins Pune Grand Tour prologue, clinches Yellow Jersey after fastest 7.5 km finish.(File Photo)

The Pune Grand Tour kicks off on Monday with an eight kilometre prologue starting from Goodluck Chowk on FC road and ending at the Deccan bus stop. Here we have a look at the players of the two Indian Teams participating in the race – The Indian National Team and the Indian Development Team. Each team has six riders and will be contesting with teams from 35 countries. A total of 171 riders from 29 teams will be participating in the event.

Naveen John
Bengaluru, Karnataka.
A pioneer of Indian road cycling, Naveen’s career began in his early 20s while pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering at Purdue University. Among other achievements, he is a 10-time National Champion (Road & Time Trial) and 4-time National Games Gold Medalist. He went on to create many records for India including being the first Indian cyclist to ride for a UCI Continental team. His standout year came in 2017 with double gold at the National Championships, followed by international success at the South Asian Games (2019).

Surya Ramesh Thathu
Pimpri-Chinchwad, Maharashtra
Surya transitioned from national-level inline skating to competitive cycling, quickly establishing himself through consistent performances. He represents Team India internationally and trains under coach Amit Jangra. A recipient of the Shiv Chhatrapati Award (2020), Surya was named Best Cyclist of the Year 2024 by the Cycling Federation of India. In 2024, he also represented India at the Asian Road Cycling Championships. His breakthrough moment came with gold at the 25th National Road Cycling Championships (2020–21).

Vishavajeet Singh
Patiala, Punjab
Born into a cycling family, Vishavajeet began training at 13 and has steadily risen through the ranks. Representing Team India, he trains under coach Joginder and has competed at major multi-sport events, including the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games establishing himself as a strong presence on the international track circuit. He is the National Record Holder – Individual Pursuit & Team Pursuit.

Sahil Kumar
Haryana
A member of the Indian Air Force cycling contingent, Sahil is a versatile rider across track and road disciplines. At the 38th National Games (2025), he won gold (Scratch Race), silver (Road Race) and bronze (Omnium). He also represented India at Commonwealth Games 2018 and Asian Track Championships. Holding the rank of Junior Warrant Officer, he was a key contributor to the Indian Air Force team’s national title at the 29th National Road Cycling Championships (2024). He has won gold at Gold at Track Asia Cup 2017 (Team Sprint).

Dinesh Kumar
Rourkela, Odisha
An elite endurance cyclist with a record-breaking career, Dinesh rose to prominence after winning gold at the Khelo India Youth Games (2020). At the 38th National Games (2025), he set a new Games record in the 4 km Individual Pursuit, alongside gold in the Road Race and silver in the Omnium. A Junior Warrant Officer in the Indian Air Force, he has represented India multiple times on the international stage. He has Two Gold medals at National Games 2025 (Individual Pursuit & Road Race).

Harshveer Singh Sekhon
Ludhiana, Punjab
A senior Indian track and road cyclist, Harshveer also transitioned from roller skating to cycling in 2018. A multiple-time national champion, he represented India at the Asian Games 2023 and made history in 2024 by becoming the first Indian endurance cyclist to compete at the Track Cycling World Championships. He has won Bronze in 40 km Individual Time Trial (ITT), National Games 2025.

Indian Development Team Rider Profiles

Sachin Desai

Maharashtra

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Sachin rose to prominence as a national record holder in the junior Individual Pursuit category. He is a key member of the South Western Railway cycling team and serves as a ticket examiner. His career is highlighted by a bronze medal at the 2016 Track Asia Cup and a silver medal at the 2022 All India Railway Championship. He has also served as a cycling ambassador for Gujarat. He won the Silver medal at 26th National Road Cycling Championship.

Manav Sarda

Bikaner, Rajasthan

Manav is a decorated Indian cyclist who has achieved significant success at national competitions. Manav is known for his dedicated approach to training with international coaches and is sponsored by sports nutrition brands, regularly sharing his journey and lessons learned on social media. He won the Gold medal at U23 Time Trial at National Championships 2023 and Silver in 2025.

Vivaan Sapru

Mumbai, Maharashtra

A young national-level cyclist, Vivaan won a silver medal in the individual pursuit at the Khelo India Youth Games in 2023, his second consecutive medal at the event. Vivaan started cycling seriously in 2017 and within a year was invited to train at the SAI National Cycling Academy in Delhi to play for his country. He won the Bronze medal at Asian Track Cycling Championships 2022

Niraj Kumar

Haryana

Kumar is a track cyclist from Haryana who has achieved notable success for both his state and his railway team. He represented India at the 19th Asian Games, participating in the Men’s Team Pursuit. He achieved a 6th-place finish in the Men’s Madison and a 10th-place finish in the Men’s Scratch race at the 2023 Asian. He won the Silver medal at National Road Championships 2025 (Road Race).

Dhruv Dahiya

Bengaluru, Karnataka

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Dhruv is a fourth-generation Indian military officer. He graduated from the Indian Military Academy in June 2024. He also holds national medals in skating and is pursuing a road cycling career, having trained with top international cyclists and represented the Indian development team in various races. He won a Bronze medal at the National Track Cycling Championship 2021 (Scratch Race).

Akshar Tyagi

New Delhi

A former national level speed skater, Akshar transitioned to cycling and has since become a member of the Indian national contingent. He was noted for his role in controlling the peloton during a U23 national road race in which his teammate secured a podium finish, He is a Multiple-time U23 National Individual Time Trial (ITT) Champion.

Soham Shah

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More

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