New Delhi, 24 October (H.S.): Indian para-athletes delivered a landmark performance at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, finishing their campaign with a record 114 medals, including 30 gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze. India secured nine gold medals on Friday, October 23, bringing its most successful campaign at the continental event to a close.

The achievement surpassed India’s previous best final tally of 108 medals at the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, comprising 27 gold, 32 silver and 49 bronze. India had initially won 111 medals in Hangzhou, but three were subsequently stripped following doping violations. The latest performance is particularly significant because India competed with a contingent of just 168 athletes, compared with 303 in the previous edition, according to the report. India stood fourth in the medal standings.

Para-athletics remained the biggest contributor to the Indian tally, accounting for 65 medals. Indian athletes also delivered notable performances in para-badminton, para-archery, para-shooting, para-swimming and para-table tennis, underlining the country’s growing strength across multiple disciplines.

Para-Athletics Delivers 65 Medals; Sumit Antil Leads the Way

India’s track-and-field athletes played a decisive role in the country’s medal-winning campaign. On the final day of India’s competition, javelin thrower Sumit Antil won gold in the men’s combined classification event with a throw of 72.46 metres, successfully defending his title.

India swept all three medals in the event. Mahendra Gurjar claimed silver with a throw of 59.03 metres, while Sandip Sanjay Sargar secured bronze with 64.48 metres. In combined-classification events, athletes’ performances are assessed using a points-based system that accounts for their respective impairment classifications.

In the men’s F51 club throw, Pranav Soorma won gold with a Games-record effort of 32.87 metres. Dharambir took bronze with a throw of 27.71 metres.

Sandeep produced a world-record performance in the men’s 400-metre T64 event, clocking 52.28 seconds to claim gold. In the same event, Ajay Kumar won bronze in a Games-record time of 53.61 seconds.

Haney captured gold in the men’s F37/38 javelin throw with a world-record effort of 60.49 metres, while Navdeep secured bronze in the men’s F40/41 javelin throw with a distance of 42.55 metres.

Rakeshbhai Bhatt won bronze in the men’s 200-metre T37 race. Sandeep added another bronze in the men’s 100-metre T44 event, finishing in 11.67 seconds.

Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murugesan Shine in Para-Badminton

Indian shuttlers delivered an impressive performance, winning three gold medals in para-badminton on Friday.

Paralympic champion Nitesh Kumar defeated compatriot Pramod Bhagat 21-18, 21-16 in the men’s singles SL3 final to claim gold in straight games. He also won silver alongside Thulasimathi Murugesan in the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 event.

Naveen Sivakumar secured gold in the men’s singles SL4 final, defeating Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan 21-9, 21-17.

In the women’s doubles SL3-SU5 final, Thulasimathi Murugesan and Mansi Joshi defeated China’s Yang Qiuxia and Xiao Zuxian 21-16, 21-13 to win gold.

Thulasimathi also earned silver in the women’s singles SU5 event, while Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan took silver in the women’s singles SH6 category. Indian shuttlers added to the country’s overall medal tally with podium finishes across several events.

Mona Agarwal Sets World Record to Claim Second Shooting Gold

Indian para-shooter Mona Agarwal produced a standout performance in the women’s 50-metre rifle three positions SH1 event, scoring 357.5 points to win gold and set both a world record and a Games record. She also became the first Indian para-shooter to win a medal in this event at the Asian Para Games, according to the report.

Agarwal had earlier won gold in the women’s 10-metre air rifle standing SH1 event with a score of 250.0 points, setting a Games record. She finished ahead of compatriot Avani Lekhara, who took silver with 249.6 points.

With two gold medals, Agarwal made a significant contribution to India’s record-breaking campaign.

Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi Secure Archery Gold

Paralympic champion Harvinder Singh and debutant Vijay Sundi won gold in the men’s recurve doubles event in para-archery. The Indian pair defeated China’s Yun Duo and Zhao Lishue 5-1 in the final.

In the women’s recurve doubles event, Bhawna Choudhary and Pooja Jatyan claimed silver after losing 0-6 to China’s Gao Jihan and Wang Xueqian in the final. The result also gave India its first Asian Para Games medal in the event, as reported.

Para-Swimmers Add 11 Medals to India’s Tally

India’s para-swimmers collectively won 11 medals, delivering a strong performance in the pool.

Himanshu Nandal secured bronze in the men’s 100-metre freestyle S11 event, clocking 1 minute 5.90 seconds. It was his third bronze medal of the competition, following third-place finishes in the 400-metre freestyle and 100-metre breaststroke S11 events.

Born with a visual impairment that resulted in blindness, Nandal distinguished himself with his performances for the Indian contingent.

Ravi Budigina also enjoyed a successful campaign, winning three medals—two silver and one bronze.

Jehan Madan and Shubham Wadhwa Win Table Tennis Bronze

In para-table tennis, Jehan Dorab Madan and Shubham Wadhwa secured bronze in the men’s doubles MD4 category.

At 50, Madan was the oldest Indian medallist in the contingent. His achievement highlighted the role that experience, perseverance and determination can play in competitive sport.

India’s nine gold medals on Friday, alongside its performances across athletics, badminton, shooting, archery, swimming and table tennis, brought the campaign to a memorable conclusion. With 114 medals overall, the Indian contingent registered its best-ever performance at the Asian Para Games, setting a new benchmark for the country’s para-sport programme.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar