Every Monday morning at 3:30 AM, while most of his peers at Jindal Global Law School (JGLS) enjoyed their rest, Arjan Singh Nagra was already hard at work at the stables in Delhi. His day began with hours of riding, concluding at 8 AM, after which he would travel to Sonipat for his classes. By Tuesday afternoon, he returned to Delhi, resuming his rigorous training at 4 AM on Wednesday. Thursday offered a brief respite, before heading back on Friday evening for an intensive weekend of training. This demanding schedule continued for 6-7 months, all while managing his BCom LL.B. coursework.
Nagra, a third-year student at JGLS, described the experience as a significant challenge. “It has been an absolute nightmare, if I am being very honest, because my degree itself is very time-consuming even on its own,” he told Bar and Bench. Yet, he expressed gratitude towards his faculty and the law school administration for their unwavering support throughout his journey.
At just 20 years old, Nagra has achieved a remarkable milestone, becoming the youngest Indian Eventing athlete ever to be selected for the national team for the Asian Games. The Equestrian Federation of India has confirmed his position in the four-rider eventing squad for the 20th Asian Games, set to take place at Tokyo’s JRA Equestrian Park.
Eventing, an equestrian sport that challenges both horse and rider across three distinct tests, begins with dressage, where precision and control are key. This is followed by a cross-country segment that tests endurance through a timed course of solid natural obstacles. The final phase involves a jumping round over fences.
Nagra’s journey to selection required him to qualify at two out of three designated international events. His first trial in Orpe-le-Grand, Belgium, was successful. However, the second in Caltignaga, Italy, proved challenging, as he excelled in dressage and cross-country but faltered in the jumping phase. This left everything riding on the final qualifier in Kaposvár, Hungary. “It was a do-or-die situation. It would tell me if these 6 months (of training) were good enough,” he reflected. Triumphantly, he finished first.
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“I was the youngest, with the least amount of experience, but I worked hard for it and then I did it. It was a very, very nice feeling,” he shared. Despite the victory, the training remains strenuous. His daily regimen involves 3-4 hours of training, as eventing demands significant time in the saddle.
“Both mentally and physically, it’s very draining. Whether it’s not sleeping through the night studying for an exam, then going for riding the next day, it’s really tough. Your whole college experience goes for a toss, because every weekend you are training and every two weeks you are at some competition, while your friends are in college,” he admitted.
Nagra will ride Cooley Goodwood in Tokyo, alongside teammates Ashish Limaye on Willy Be Dun, Captain Ahaan Kumar of the 61st Cavalry on Bolivar Gio Granno, and Olympian Fouaad Mirza on Camouflage 38. “It’s a fine balance between experience and young blood. We have a very good, strong chance. Obviously, the goal is to win. We request everyone to pray for us,” he stated.
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Equestrianism runs in the family. Arjan’s father, Kirat Singh Nagra, a senior partner at DSK Legal, represented India in Show Jumping at the previous Asian Games and has been Arjan’s coach since childhood. His younger brother is also a rider. “My father has always balanced his professional and personal life. I wish to be on the same lines – a lawyer and a sporting athlete,” Nagra added.
Looking ahead, Nagra acknowledges the increasing demands of his legal studies. “Right now, I am in law school and I make time for the sport, but after some point. I will get more invested into the law side of things,” he said. However, his ambitions in equestrian sports remain undiminished. “If you told anyone there’s a 20-year-old who came to Europe with a new horse and a new partnership, and in three months needs to qualify for the Asian Games, they would laugh. But I was ambitious enough to say it out loud and do it. At the end of the day, we’ve given it a good shot, and here we are,” he concluded.
