ABVP fields 3 sportspersons for DUSU 2026: Their international games connection

3 out of 4 ABVP candidates fielded this year for the DUSU elections are sportspersons. The velocity of what happened at Jantar Mantar just two months ago is still travelling to other spaces. The Gen Z protest may have ended, but its political conversation has not. Its echoes can now be seen beyond the streets, including in the politics of Delhi University.

The DUSU elections of 2026 are being contested at a time when the issues surrounding young people are changing. In earlier years, campus politics often revolved around issues such as free travel and problems within the university. This year, discussions around artificial intelligence, youth concerns and larger political questions have also entered the campaign.

National politics, too, has not remained untouched. At Delhi University, both ABVP and NSUI are pushing for a wider contest, with manifestos being released and different issues being taken up on the campaign trail.

In this backdrop, the events of September 6, when at least seven DU students lost their lives following the collapse of the PG building, added another layer to the political conversation.

The demand for more hostels has been raised by supporters of both wings as well as students from several colleges. Whether this develops into a larger election issue remains to be seen.

The candidates fielded by the RSS-led wing include an international-level tennis player, an inter-college basketball player and an international handball player. The fourth candidate comes from a student-politics background.

So, who are the three sportspersons on the ABVP panel, and how did they make their way to the DUSU contest?

1. Yash Dabas: From international tennis to the DUSU presidential race

Yash Dabas, ABVP’s candidate for President, is from Kanjhawala in Delhi. He completed his graduation from Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College and is currently pursuing studies at the Department of Buddhist Studies at Delhi University.

Dabas is an international-level tennis player. He has represented India in ITF competitions in countries including Spain, Australia and Serbia. He was also selected for the Khelo India and All India University Games in 2023.

His profile brings together sport and academics, while his current association with the Department of Buddhist Studies places him among the candidates from a department that has a significant presence in this year’s DUSU contest.

Dabas is among eight candidates in the 2026 DUSU elections who are from the Department of Buddhist Studies. He is the ABVP candidate for the top post.

2. Riya Chhabri: Basketball player in the race for Secretary

Riya Chhabri is ABVP’s candidate for Secretary. She comes from a farming family in Mordband village in Badarpur, Delhi, and is an alumna of Sri Aurobindo College.

Chhabri is an inter-college basketball player and is currently in the fourth year of the BA Programme at Sri Aurobindo College.

Her entry into the DUSU election comes with a background in sports as well as her experience as a student at the university. She is one of six women among the 20 candidates contesting the four DUSU posts this year.

For the Secretary’s post, Chhabri is contesting against Namrata Chaudhary of the Department of Buddhist Studies, Pankaj Kumar of the Campus Law Centre and Stanzin Deskyong of Hindu College.

3. Lakshyaraj Singh: International handball player in the Joint Secretary contest

Lakshyaraj Singh, ABVP’s candidate for Joint Secretary, comes from Rajasthan’s Churu district. He completed his graduation in Political Science from Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College and is currently pursuing law at the Campus Law Centre.

Singh is an international handball player. He has represented India at the Asian Games and the World Championships. He has also represented Rajasthan at the National Games and Delhi University at the University Games.

His sporting record is different from that of Dabas and Chhabri in scale, with international representation at major competitions forming a central part of his profile.

Singh is one of four candidates from the Campus Law Centre contesting the DUSU elections this year. He is contesting the Joint Secretary post against B Parijat of Hansraj College, Gopal Chaudhary of the Department of Buddhist Studies and Vishesh Yadav of the Department of Buddhist Studies.

ABVP’s panel has four candidates: Yash Dabas for President, Ishu Maurya for Vice President, Riya Chhabri for Secretary and Lakshyaraj Singh for Joint Secretary.

While Dabas, Chhabri and Singh come from different sporting disciplines, their profiles also differ in their association with student politics and university life. Dabas comes with international tennis experience, Chhabri with inter-college basketball experience, and Singh with international handball experience.

The fourth candidate, Ishu Maurya, comes from a student-politics background. A resident of Varanasi, Maurya is an alumnus of Satyawati College and has been associated with ABVP since 2021. He has served as President of Satyawati College (Morning) and as Co-convener of Students for Seva.

He is currently pursuing law at the Campus Law Centre.A CHANGING DUSU CONTEST

The election is taking place alongside a wider shift in the issues being discussed around young voters and student politics. ABVP has been campaigning on its past work, women’s safety and initiatives such as ‘Aakhir Kab Tak?’, while discussions around issues such as AI have also entered the election conversation.

The final list released by Delhi University has 20 candidates for the four DUSU posts, including six women. Eight candidates are from the Department of Buddhist Studies and four are from the Campus Law Centre.

Both the North and South Campus remain active as campaigning gathers pace. In this year’s contest, ABVP’s decision to field three sportspersons among its four candidates adds another dimension to the panels entering the DUSU race.

The question now is how these different backgrounds — international sport, inter-college competition, student politics, academics and law — will translate into a campaign centred on the concerns of Delhi University students.- EndsPublished By: Rishab ChauhanPublished On: Sep 14, 2026 16:03 IST