Aichi-Nagoya [Japan], October 23 (ANI): India concluded its campaign at the Asian Para Games 2026 with a record haul of 114 medals, including 30 gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze, as the country's para-athletes delivered world-record performances, historic victories and podium sweeps across multiple disciplines.
India surpassed its previous edition's medal tally of 108, comprising 27 gold, 32 silver and 49 bronze medals. The country had initially won 111 medals at the last edition, but three were subsequently stripped following doping charges against Neeraj Yadav and Parveen.
India's performance at Aichi-Nagoya exceeded expectations, particularly as the contingent was significantly smaller than the one that competed in the previous edition. A total of 168 para-athletes represented India at the 2026 Games, compared to 309 athletes at Hangzhou.
Reflecting on India's achievement of crossing the 100-medal mark, Paralympic Committee of India President Devendra Jhajharia said the performance reflected the dedication and determination of the athletes, while acknowledging the support extended to para-sports in the country.
"Crossing the 100-medal mark and reaching 114 medals is a proud moment for Indian para-sports and a testament to the dedication, courage and determination of our athletes. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, para-sports in India has received unprecedented encouragement, recognition and support. His commitment to empowering our para-athletes has inspired the entire sporting ecosystem to work collectively towards excellence. Our athletes are translating this support into historic performances, and we remain determined to build on this momentum and take Indian para-sports to even greater heights," Jhajharia said.
India's para-badminton contingent delivered several notable performances, with reigning Paralympic champion Nitesh Kumar defeating compatriot and reigning world champion Pramod Bhagat 21-18, 21-16 in the men's singles SL3 final to win gold. Bhagat settled for silver, ensuring an all-Indian finish in the event.
In women's doubles SL3-SU5, Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manasi Girishchandra Joshi defeated China's Qiuxia Yang and Zuxian Xiao 21-16, 21-13 to claim gold. Thulasimathi also won silver in women's singles SU5, while Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan secured silver in women's singles SH6 after losing to China's Fengmei Li.
Para-archers Harvinder Singh and debutant Vijay Sundi won gold in men's recurve doubles, while Pooja Jatyan and Bhawna Choudhary secured silver in women's recurve doubles, earning India its first-ever medal in the event at the Asian Para Games.
India's para-athletes also produced outstanding performances in track and field events. Haney won gold in men's javelin throw F37/38 with an effort of 60.49 metres, setting a world record in the T37 category.
Debutant Sandeep clinched gold in men's 400m T64 in 52.28 seconds, setting a world record in the T44 category. Ajay Kumar added bronze in the same event with a time of 53.61 seconds.
India also swept all three medals in the men's javelin throw F42-F44/F61-F64 final. Sumit won gold in the T64 category with a throw of 72.46 metres and 1,112 points. Mahendra Gurjar secured silver with a Games-record effort of 59.03 metres in the T42 category, while Sandip Sanjay Sargar claimed bronze with a Games-record throw of 64.48 metres in the T44 category.
In men's club throw F51, Pranav Soorma won gold with a Games-record throw of 32.87 metres, surpassing the previous mark of 29.47 metres. Dharambir took bronze with an effort of 27.71 metres.
Navdeep Singh secured bronze in men's javelin throw F40/41 with a throw of 42.55 metres, while Rakeshbhai Bhatt won bronze in men's 200m T37 in 25.02 seconds. Sandeep also claimed bronze in men's 100m T44 in 11.67 seconds, finishing his campaign with one gold, one bronze and a world record.
In para-shooting, Mona Agarwal won gold in women's 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 with a score of 357.5, setting world and Asian Para Games records. She also became the first Indian para-shooter to win a medal in the event at the Asian Para Games.
India's para-table tennis contingent added 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 with a timing of 1:05.90, taking his medal tally at the Games to three bronze medals.
India's campaign featured multiple record-breaking performances and landmark results across para-athletics, para-badminton, para-archery, shooting, table tennis and swimming, underlining the depth of the country's contingent.
With 114 medals, including 30 gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze, India registered its best-ever performance at the Asian Para Games. (ANI)
Asian Para Games 2026: India para-athletes scales new heights with record 114 medals
