ARN has India's only man-made international-standard 2,200m x 135m rowing channel
Node has produced 15 Arjuna Awardees, 2 Dronacharya Awardees, 11 Olympians
ARN beat competition from initiatives from France and United Kingdom to win global honour
The Army Rowing Node (ARN) at the College of Military Engineering (CME) in Pune recently won the World Rowing's 'Programme of the Year' 2025 award for its role in the development of the sport, prevailing ahead of competition from initiatives based in France and United Kingdom.
ARN, which was established in 2001, has India's only man-made international-standard 2,200m x 135m rowing channel and trains 60-90 rowers. It is the only rowing facility in India capable of hosting international rowing competitions.
The World Rowing Award, which was instituted in 2024, was presented to ARN's Commanding Officer Col. R Ramakrishnan at the Lausanne-based Olympic Museum in Switzerland on January 24, 2026. India Rowing president Balaji Maradappa was also in attendance.
ARN is a part of the Indian Army's Mission Olympics Wing (MOW), which was started in 2001 under the Directorate General of Military Training to boost India's medal prospects in Olympics and international events. In its formative years, rowing training activities were conducted near the Mula–Mutha River before the establishment of a permanent facility.
In 2005, the Indian Army initiated the development of a state-of-the-art rowing facility of international standards, with construction commencing soon thereafter. The facility was commissioned in 2009, following which ARN was shifted to its present location within the CME campus, Pune.
Over the years, ARN athletes have brought immense pride to the nation and the Indian Army, claiming over 590 national medals and 129 international medals. The node has produced 15 Arjuna Awardees, 2 Dronacharya Awardees, 1 Padma Shri Awardee, 2 Dhyan Chand Awardees, and 11 Olympians. The Indian team at the 2023 Asian Games was entirely made of rowers affiliated to the armed forces and it bagged five medals, including two silver, at the regional showpiece.
"The 'Rowing Programme of the Year' award underscores World Rowing's commitment to expanding the international Rowing community, involving clubs, schools and universities more deeply, and highlighting their crucial role in developing the sport," World Rowing had stated about the award. The other contenders were Rowing for Health (Aviron Sante) in Lyon, France and Refugee Integration Programme in Lancaster, United Kingdom.
