Meet Vedaant Madhavan: How R Madhavan’s son is preparing for Asian Games with 4am discipline

At 21, Vedaant Madhavan is preparing to take on a swimming event that is outside his usual comfort zone. The son of actor R Madhavan, Vedaant is set to represent India at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, competing in the 200m freestyle.

Vedaant has primarily been a long-distance swimmer. The move to a shorter race, therefore, has meant more than simply changing events—it has required him to rethink how he trains.

“I’ve actually been training differently for the past few months. As you may know, I’m a long-distance specialist, but I’ll be swimming the 200m freestyle at the Asian Games, which is outside my comfort zone,” he told PTI.

Weight training, stronger legs and better flexibility

With the 200m freestyle demanding greater speed and power, Vedaant has spent the past few months focusing heavily on strength and conditioning.

His training now includes more weight work, with particular attention to his legs, kicking ability and ankle flexibility. The changes are also intended to prepare him for the relay.

“The past few months, I’ve been really focusing on weight training and getting my strength so I can prepare for the relay and the 200m freestyle. So, I’ve taken a whole new approach. One of my weakest points was my legs and my kick, so I’ve been really honing in and working on my kick, my legs, and my ankle flexibility so they can improve.

“Overall, my stroke is looking a lot better and faster.”

For Vedaant, however, physical preparation is only one part of competing at the highest level. He believes the mental approach matters just as much.

“I feel like if you want to succeed in life, you have to be kind of egotistical, where in your mind it’s already fixed, and you know that 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 has previously spoken about how his son's training schedule required him to wake 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.

“I haven’t completely become successful as a father yet. It’s a work in progress, but I can share the benefit of my experience with you. I have realised that children nowadays are far wiser than we give them credit for. I have also realised that the tools that have worked in my favour to achieve what I have managed to achieve so far can be summed up in one word: grit.”

Madhavan recalled that swimming naturally brought structure to Vedaant’s teenage years.

“He got into swimming, and because he got into swimming, he had to get up at 4 in the morning to train. The best part about getting up at 4 in the morning is that, even as a teenager, he has to sleep by 8 o’clock at night. The problem starts only after 9 o’clock, so I only have to keep an eye on him after 9,” he joked.

Letting children find their own path

Madhavan has also argued that parents should avoid deciding their children's careers for them. Instead, he believes discipline should give children the freedom to discover what they genuinely enjoy.

“The second thing is, you have to let them be. Their exposure to today’s world is far greater than ours.”

That philosophy has played out in Vedaant’s case through swimming, which he has 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.

About the Author

Anjali Thakur is a Senior Assistant Editor with Mint, reporting on trending news, entertainment and health, with a focus on stories driving digital conversations. Her work involves spotting early signals across news cycles and social media, sharpening stories for SEO and Google Discover, and mentoring young editors in digital-first newsroom practices. She is known for turning fast-moving developments—whether news-driven or culture-led—into clear, tightly edited journalism without compromising editorial rigour.<br><br> Before joining Mint, she was Deputy News Editor at NDTV.com, where she led the Trending section and covered viral news, breaking developments and human-interest stories. She has also worked as Chief Sub-Editor at India.com (Zee Media) and as Senior Correspondent with Exchange4media and Hindustan Times’ HT City, reporting on media, advertising, entertainment, health, lifestyle and popular culture.<br><br> Anjali holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miranda House, and is currently pursuing an MBA, strengthening her understanding of business strategy and digital media economics. Her writing balances newsroom discipline with a clear instinct for what resonates with readers.

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