Nitesh Prevails 21-18, 21-16 in All-Indian Final as Pramod Settles for Silver

Aichi-Nagoya, October 23 (H.S.): India’s Nitesh Kumar won the gold medal in the men’s singles SL3 badminton event at the 2026 Asian Para Games, defeating compatriot and reigning world champion Pramod Bhagat in the final on Friday. Nitesh secured a straight-games victory, winning 21-18, 21-16, while Pramod had to settle for silver. With both players being Paralympic gold medallists, the all-Indian final marked a significant occasion for Indian para badminton.

Nitesh, the reigning Paralympic champion and world No. 1, displayed composure from the outset. The opening game witnessed an intense contest between the two Indians, but Nitesh held his nerve to prevail 21-18. Pramod continued to put up a strong fight in the second game, but Nitesh capitalised on crucial points to win 21-16 and seal the match.

The victory earned Nitesh the men’s singles SL3 gold medal at the Asian Para Games, while 38-year-old Pramod took silver. Pramod had previously won gold medals at the 2018 and 2022 Asian Para Games.

Born on December 30, 1994, Nitesh Kumar hails from Charkhi Dadri in Haryana. He studied electrical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi. Football was his childhood passion, but an accident in Visakhapatnam in 2009 left him with a permanent leg injury. Despite spending several months bedridden, he remained determined to stay connected with sports. During his time at IIT Mandi, he developed a growing interest in badminton and gradually set his sights on building a career in para badminton.

Nitesh made his national-level debut at a para badminton championship in Faridabad in 2016, winning a bronze medal. In 2017, he secured silver in singles and bronze in doubles. At the 2020 National Championships, he defeated Pramod Bhagat and Manoj to win gold. He subsequently maintained a consistent record of strong performances on the international circuit.

One of the defining achievements of Nitesh’s career came at the Paris Paralympics in 2024, where he won gold in men’s singles. At the 2022 Asian Para Games, he had also claimed gold in men’s doubles, silver in singles and bronze in mixed doubles.

Pramod Bhagat’s journey has likewise been marked by perseverance and remarkable achievements. He was born on June 4, 1988, in Bihar’s Vaishali district. At the age of four or five, he contracted polio, which affected his left leg. He later lived with relatives in Attabira, in Odisha’s Bargarh district. As a child, watching other children in his neighbourhood play badminton sparked his interest in the sport.

Pramod began making concerted efforts to advance his career in national and international para badminton in 2006. At the Tokyo Paralympics, held in 2021, he defeated Great Britain’s Daniel Bethell 21-14, 21-17 in the men’s singles final to win gold. The victory made him the first Indian badminton player to win Paralympic gold. Pramod has also won multiple gold and silver medals at the World Championships and has achieved the distinction of becoming a world champion six times.

The final between Nitesh and Pramod underscored the strength and depth of Indian para badminton. Both athletes delivered medal-winning performances for the country, but on this occasion, it was Nitesh who emerged victorious and claimed the coveted gold medal.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar