India Achieves Historic Milestone at Asian Para Games 2026

Remarkable Achievement for India at the Asian Para Games 2026

India wrapped up its participation in the Asian Para Games 2026 with an impressive total of 114 medals, which includes 30 gold, 35 silver, and 49 bronze. The para-athletes showcased extraordinary performances, achieving world records and historic wins across various sports. This achievement surpasses the previous record of 108 medals, which consisted of 27 gold, 32 silver, and 49 bronze. Although India had initially claimed 111 medals in the last edition, three were later revoked due to doping violations involving Neeraj Yadav and Parveen.

Exceeding Expectations with a Smaller Team

The performance of the Indian team in Aichi-Nagoya was particularly remarkable given that the squad was much smaller than the one that participated in the last edition. A total of 168 para-athletes represented India at the 2026 Games, a significant decrease from the 309 athletes in Hangzhou. Paralympic Committee of India President Devendra Jhajharia expressed pride in surpassing the 100-medal milestone, attributing this success to the athletes' dedication and the growing support for para-sports in India. He emphasized that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, para-sports have received unprecedented encouragement, inspiring athletes to achieve historic results.

Dominance in Para-Badminton and Archery

The para-badminton team delivered outstanding results, with reigning Paralympic champion Nitesh Kumar defeating fellow Indian and world champion Pramod Bhagat 21-18, 21-16 in the men's singles SL3 final, securing gold. Bhagat earned silver, marking an all-Indian podium finish. In women's doubles SL3-SU5, Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manasi Girishchandra Joshi triumphed over China's Qiuxia Yang and Zuxian Xiao 21-16, 21-13 to win gold. Thulasimathi also claimed silver in women's singles SU5, while Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan earned silver in women's singles SH6 after a loss to China's Fengmei Li.

In archery, Harvinder Singh and newcomer Vijay Sundi won gold in men's recurve doubles, while Pooja Jatyan and Bhawna Choudhary secured silver in women's recurve doubles, marking India's first medal in this event at the Asian Para Games.

Excellence in Track and Field Events

India's para-athletes excelled in track and field, with Haney winning gold in men's javelin throw F37/38, achieving a world record with a throw of 60.49 meters. Debutant Sandeep also clinched gold in men's 400m T64, setting a world record at 52.28 seconds. Ajay Kumar added a bronze in the same event with a time of 53.61 seconds.

India dominated the men's javelin throw F42-F44/F61-F64 final, sweeping all three medals. Sumit won gold in the T64 category with a throw of 72.46 meters, while Mahendra Gurjar secured silver with a Games-record throw of 59.03 meters in the T42 category. Sandip Sanjay Sargar took bronze with a Games-record throw of 64.48 meters in the T44 category. In men's club throw F51, Pranav Soorma won gold with a Games-record throw of 32.87 meters, while Dharambir earned bronze with 27.71 meters. Navdeep Singh and Rakeshbhai Bhatt also secured bronze medals in men's javelin throw F40/41 and men's 200m T37, respectively.

Success Across Various Sports

In para-shooting, Mona Agarwal achieved gold in women's 50m rifle 3 positions SH1, scoring 357.5 and setting both world and Asian Para Games records. She became the first Indian para-shooter to medal in this event at the Asian Para Games.

The para-table tennis team contributed a bronze through Jehan Dorab Madan and Shubham Wadhwa in men's doubles Class MD4. At 50, Madan became the oldest member of the Indian contingent to win a medal at the 2026 edition. In para-swimming, Himanshu Nandal secured bronze in men's 100m freestyle S11, bringing his total medal count to three bronze medals at the Games.

India's campaign was marked by numerous record-breaking performances and significant achievements across para-athletics, para-badminton, para-archery, shooting, table tennis, and swimming, showcasing the strength of the country's contingent. With a total of 114 medals, including 30 gold, 35 silver, and 49 bronze, India celebrated its best-ever performance at the Asian Para Games.