Kolkata: India’s para-athletes spectacularly concluded the Asian Para Games with a historic, best-ever tally of 114 medals, including 30 gold, 35 silver, and 49 bronze, securing an impressive fourth position overall after a phenomenal final-day performance, as India clinched nine gold medals on Friday, 23 October, in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
The medal haul surpassed India’s previous best at Hangzhou 2023, where the country secured 111 medals, including 29 gold, 31 silver, and 51 bronze, finishing in fifth position overall. India’s achievements at the Asian Para Games 2026 are particularly remarkable, as the country competed with a contingent of 168 athletes, comprising 112 men and 56 women, who proudly represented the nation on the international stage. Notably, this contingent was nearly half the size of India’s 2023 contingent at Hangzhou, where 309 athletes represented the country, making the impressive medal tally an even more significant achievement. India competed in 11 sports, including para-athletics, para-badminton, para-swimming, para-archery, para-shooting, para-table tennis, para-judo, para-powerlifting, para-cycling, boccia, and blind football.
Para-Athletics: India delivered one of its most successful performances in para-athletics, which emerged as the biggest contributor to the country’s overall medal tally, with an impressive haul of 65 medals, including 22 gold. In the men’s javelin throw F42–F44/F61–F64 event, India achieved a sensational podium sweep, as Paralympic champion Sumit Antil successfully defended his gold medal, while Mahendra Gurjar secured silver and Sandeep Sanjaya Sargar claimed bronze. In track and field, Sandeep, competing in the men’s 400m T64, and Haney, in the men’s javelin F37/38, delivered phenomenal performances, setting world records on their way to gold and further highlighting India’s remarkable dominance in para-athletics.
Para-Shooting: India also enjoyed an outstanding campaign in para-shooting, with the sport contributing five valuable medals to the country’s overall tally. Mona Agarwal delivered phenomenal performances, securing two gold medals and further highlighting India’s strength in the discipline. She also set a new world record with a score of 357.5 in the women’s 50m rifle three positions SH1 event, surpassing the previous record of 356 held by Sweden’s Anna Benson.
Para-Archery: Para-archery delivered another impressive performance, contributing six medals to India’s overall tally. Leading the charge, Sheetal Devi emerged as one of India’s standout athletes at the Asian Para Games, showcasing exceptional skill, precision, and consistency to secure a remarkable haul of three medals, including two gold and one silver.
Para-Badminton: Para-badminton delivered a spectacular golden finish on the final day. Paralympic champion Nitesh Kumar clinched gold in the men’s SL3 event after a thrilling contest. In the women’s doubles, Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manasi Joshi secured gold following an exciting encounter against their Chinese rivals. Thulasimathi Murugesan further strengthened India’s medal tally by claiming two silver medals on the final day, one in the women’s singles and another in the mixed doubles alongside Nitesh Kumar.
Para-Swimming: In para-swimming, 22-year-old Himanshu Nadal delivered an outstanding performance, completing a medal hat-trick across the men’s 100m freestyle, 400m freestyle, and 100m breaststroke S11 events. Meanwhile, Ravi Budigina also achieved an impressive hat-trick, securing two silver medals in the 100m backstroke and 100m freestyle, along with a bronze in the 50m freestyle.
India concluded the Asian Para Games with a historic best-ever tally of 114 medals, marking a proud milestone in the nation’s para-sports journey.
