New Delhi, 16 October (H.S.): The 168-member Indian contingent, comprising 112 men and 56 women, has received extensive support from the Government of India ahead of the 2026 Asian Para Games, with the aim of returning from Aichi-Nagoya with an impressive medal haul. The support includes opportunities to compete in international events, domestic training camps, essential sporting equipment and overseas training programmes.

Indian para-badminton and para-table tennis players, along with the men’s blind football team, began their campaigns at the 2026 Asian Para Games on Friday. Of the athletes in the contingent, 47 are supported under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), 33 are Khelo India athletes, and 61 are participating in the Games for the first time.

The contingent has primarily received financial and logistical assistance through the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC) and TOPS. A total of Rs 80.22 crore was allocated under the ACTC, while Rs 18.34 crore was invested under TOPS. National coaching camps were organised at various centres to prepare athletes across 11 sports. The Indian para-archery team, meanwhile, attended an international training camp at the Kurobe Archery Centre in Japan between September and October.

In India, para-archers trained at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Regional Centre in Sonipat. Training camps for para-swimmers and para-powerlifters were organised at the SAI Regional Centre in Gandhinagar. Para-athletes also participated in national coaching camps held between September and October at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, SAI Sonipat and the SAI Regional Centre in Bengaluru.

Camps for para-shooters were conducted at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range, while the blind football team trained in Kochi.

In October, a training camp for blind judo athletes was organised at the Indian Para Judo Academy in Lucknow. The cycling velodrome at SAI’s Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi served as the training venue for para-cycling.

The Indian contingent is competing in para-athletics, para-archery, para-badminton, para-table tennis, boccia, blind football, para-cycling, blind judo, para-powerlifting, para-shooting and para-swimming.

The opening ceremony is scheduled for October 18, with badminton player Pramod Bhagat and para-table tennis player Bhavina Patel set to carry the Indian flag as the country’s flag-bearers. Medal events will be held from October 19 to 24.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar