31 July, 2026 – Ludhiana : Two young sisters from Ludhiana are among Punjab’s most promising swimming talents after they put up a string of medal-winning performances at the district and state-level championships. Their remarkable achievements at a tender age have earned widespread appreciation from the swimming fraternity and brought the growing talent emerging from the city’s swimming pools into the limelight.
Seven-year-old Prisha Thakur, a student of Kundan Vidya Mandir, Civil Lines, Ludhiana, stole the limelight by clinching four gold medals and the coveted ‘Best Swimmer Trophy’ in the Group-IV (U-10) category during the District Swimming Championship held at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) swimming pool on July 11 and 12.
Daughter of Rajnish Kumar, Superintendent, Customs and GST, Ludhiana, and Neha Rana Thakur, Prisha took up swimming only last year under the guidance of coach Ajay Sharma. Despite being relatively new to the sport, she has shown exceptional promise through her rapid rise in competitive swimming.
In her very first competitive season, Prisha bagged bronze medals in the 50m freestyle and 100m freestyle events at the District Swimming Championship held on July 13 and 14, 2025. She followed it up with silver medals in the 50m and 100m freestyle events at the district-level school games organised by the Punjab School Education Department.
Her success continued at the State School Games, where she was part of the winning state relay teams that secured gold medals in the 200m freestyle relay and 200m medley relay in the U-11 category, underlining her ability to excel in team as well as individual events.
This season, Prisha stamped her authority in an emphatic way by winning gold medals in the 50m freestyle, 50m breaststroke, 50m backstroke and 50m butterfly events. Her clean sweep across all four categories earned her the ‘Best Swimmer Trophy’, making her one of the standout performers of the championship.
Her elder sister, Navya Thakur (12), a Class VIII student of Kundan Vidya Mandir, has also carved a niche for herself with a series of impressive performances. She, too, began competitive swimming at the PAU pool and has made her presence felt among the leading swimmers in her age group.
In her debut season at last year’s District Swimming Championship, Navya won gold medals in the 200m individual medley and 100m breaststroke, besides claiming a bronze medal in the 200m freestyle. She maintained her consistency at the Punjab State Swimming Championship by securing bronze medals in the 200m individual medley and 100m breaststroke, while also contributing to a gold medal-winning performance in the 200m medley relay and 200m freestyle relay.
Navya’s medal-winning spree continued in the district-level school games, where she claimed gold medals in the 100m and 200m breaststroke events and a silver medal in the individual medley. At the State School Games, she added a bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke and a silver medal in the 400m freestyle relay.
At this year’s District Swimming Championship, Navya once again showcased her versatility by winning gold medals in the 100m breaststroke and 200m freestyle, besides securing silver medals in the 100m backstroke and 200m individual medley.
Following her excellent performance at the district meet, Navya qualified to represent Ludhiana in the Punjab State Swimming Championship held at Ferozepur. There, Navya clinched two gold medals in the 200m medley relay and 200m freestyle relay. She also added a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke to her tally.
Her performance in both individual and relay events reflect the training she has undergone at the district level. She is expected to be a key prospect for the upcoming national events.
Meanwhile, Prisha was unable to participate in the state meet at Ferozepur as no competition was held in her age-group category.
The success story of the Thakur sisters reflects the rewards of disciplined training, hard work and family support. Their quick rise has brought pride to Ludhiana’s swimming fraternity, with coaches expressing confidence that both possess the talent and temperament to excel at the higher levels in the coming years.
While Prisha has already emerged as one of the brightest young swimmers in the U-10 category, Navya continues to establish herself as a strong contender on the state circuit, making the sisters a duo to watch in Punjab’s swimming circuit.
Coach Ajay attributed the sisters’ success to their commitment and eagerness to learn. “Both Prisha and Navya are exceptionally disciplined and sincere during training sessions. They possess natural talent, but what makes them different is their willingness to work hard and constantly improve. Prisha has shown remarkable versatility by excelling in all four strokes at such a young age, while Navya has developed into a technically sound swimmer with tremendous endurance. If they continue training with the same dedication, they have the potential to represent Punjab and eventually make their mark at the national and international levels,” he said.
In recognition of their outstanding performances, Kundan Vidya Mandir felicitated Prisha and Navya for bringing laurels to the school with their medal-winning exploits at the district and state-level swimming competitions. The school authorities congratulated the young swimmers on their achievements and wished them continued success in future championships, expressing confidence that they would bring many more honours to the school, Ludhiana and Punjab.
The Tribune