Meet Vedaanth Madhavan: How R Madhavan’s son prepares for Asian Games with 4am discipline | Today’s news
At the age of 21, Vedaant Madhavan prepares for a swimming competition that is outside his usual comfort zone. Vedaant, son of actor R Madhavan, will represent India at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, where he will compete in the 200m freestyle.
Vedaant was primarily a long-distance swimmer. The move to a shorter race therefore meant more than just a change of events – it required him to rethink how he trained.
“I have actually been training differently for the past few months. As you may know, I am a long distance specialist, but in the Asian Games I will be swimming the 200m freestyle, which is out of my comfort zone,” he told PTI.
Bodyweight exercises, stronger legs and better flexibility
With the 200m freestyle, which requires more speed and power, Vedaant has focused heavily on strength and conditioning over the past few months.
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His training now includes more weight work, with special attention to his legs, kicking ability and ankle flexibility. The changes should also prepare him for the relay.
“The last couple of months I’ve been really focused on getting stronger and getting stronger to get ready for the relay and the 200m freestyle. So I’ve taken a whole new approach. One of my weakest areas has been my legs and my kick, so I’ve really honed in and worked on my kick, legs and ankle flexibility to improve.
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“Overall, my stroke looks a lot better and faster.
But for Vedaant, physical preparation is only one part of competing at the highest level. He believes that mental attitude matters just as much.
“I feel like if you want to succeed in life you have to be a bit egotistical, it’s already set in your mind and you know you’re going to win no matter what,” he said.
The 4am routine behind Vedaant’s swimming career
The discipline required for professional swimming began early. R Madhavan had earlier spoken about how his son’s training schedule required him to get up at 4am, creating a routine that extended beyond the pool.
At an event at the Indian School of Business, the actor described the quality he wanted his son to develop as “grit” – a combination of discipline and ambition.
“As a father, I’m not quite successful yet. It’s a work in progress, but I can share with you the benefit of my experience. I’ve realized that kids these days are a lot wiser than we give them credit for. I’ve also realized that the tools that have worked in my favor to achieve what I’ve achieved so far can be summed up in one word: audacity.”
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Madhavan recalled that swimming naturally brought structure to Vedaanth’s adolescence.
“He got into swimming and because he got into swimming, he had to get up at 4 in the morning to train. The best thing about getting up at 4 in the morning is that even as a teenager he has to sleep until 8 at night. The problem doesn’t start until after nine, so I have to watch him until nine,” he joked.
Let the children find their own way
Madhavan also argued that parents should avoid making their children’s career decisions for them. Instead, she believes that discipline should give children the freedom to discover what they truly enjoy.
“The other thing is you have to let them be. Their exposure to today’s world is much greater than ours.”
This philosophy manifested itself in Vedaant’s case through swimming, which he pursued professionally for years.
Born in 2005 to Madhavan and Sarita Birje, Vedaant continued his swimming career after the family moved to Dubai during the Covid-19 pandemic.
