At 18, Anahat Singh has moved beyond the label of promising junior and into a far more demanding space: she is now central to India’s present and future in squash. The young Indian player’s recent surge, marked by a breakthrough 2025 and backed by impressive wins in 2026, has pushed her into the world’s top 20 and sharpened the conversation around what she could achieve by the time the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics arrive.
The original snapshot of her journey also offered a small but revealing detail about how she carries ambition. While some athletes mark major milestones with tattoos, Anahat has spoken of keeping her own reminders of the Olympic dream. It is a detail that reflects discipline more than display, and that may be the most important clue to understanding her rise. In a sport where progress is often incremental and brutally tested, the ability to stay fixed on a distant target matters as much as shot-making skill.
From prodigy to standard-bearer
Indian squash has produced world-class names before. The country has enjoyed significant success through players such as Saurav Ghosal, Dipika Pallikal, Joshna Chinappa and, more recently, stars who have helped India remain relevant in international team and individual events. But Indian squash has also spent years searching for the next figure who could combine early promise with sustained elite-level consistency. Anahat now appears increasingly capable of filling that role.
Her rise is especially significant because it comes at a time when squash itself is approaching a historic turning point. The sport’s inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic programme has transformed the stakes for players across the world. For athletes in countries where funding, visibility and mainstream recognition often depend on Olympic status, that change is enormous. A young player climbing quickly just ahead of that cycle becomes more than a personal success story; she becomes a symbol of what a sport might yet become in her country.
Why LA 2028 changes everything
For decades, squash was one of the most respected sports never to make it to the Olympics. That omission often limited its commercial reach and popular appeal beyond traditional strongholds. The LA 2028 inclusion changes the sport’s horizon. Every major result from now until those Games will be read through an Olympic lens, especially for younger athletes who are peaking at the right moment.
That is why Anahat’s trajectory matters. If she continues her rise, India could enter the Olympic era of squash with a genuine contender rather than merely a participant. Even at this stage, her progress carries implications for talent pipelines, federation planning, sponsorship interest and media attention. A single athlete’s momentum can have a multiplier effect in Indian sport, particularly in disciplines outside cricket. Better visibility can lead to stronger junior programmes, improved training support and wider public curiosity about the game.
The pressures of being young and already important
There is, however, another side to early success. In Indian sport, young athletes who break through quickly are often asked to carry expectations that would test even seasoned professionals. Rankings, Olympic forecasts and comparisons with established names can create pressure long before a player has reached full maturity. Squash, with its physical demands and relentless international calendar, can be particularly unforgiving.
That is why the most encouraging aspect of Anahat’s rise may not simply be the results, but the sense of perspective behind them. A long Olympic build-up requires resilience, patience and the ability to keep improving when attention grows louder. The reminder of LA 2028, whether symbolic or personal, suggests a player trying to stay anchored amid the noise.
Why this story matters
For readers, Anahat Singh’s ascent is not just another story about a talented teenager. It is a glimpse of Indian sport at an important intersection, where youth development, Olympic ambition and the search for new icons are coming together. Her journey also speaks to a broader shift in how Indian athletes are emerging today: younger, better prepared, more globally aware and less intimidated by elite competition.
If she sustains this climb, Anahat may not only redefine her own career but also broaden the imagination of what Indian squash can aim for in the Olympic era. For now, the message is clear. She is no longer waiting to be the future. She has already arrived, and she is keeping Los Angeles firmly in sight.
