India’s campaign at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Nagoya reached new heights on Thursday, October 22, as the nation’s medal tally climbed to 88. The day was defined by a spectacular double-gold performance from archer
Sheetal Devi, the 19-year-old world number one, demonstrated her composure under pressure by securing two gold medals within a two-hour window. She first partnered with Toman Kumar to successfully defend the mixed team title against Indonesia, winning 151-148. Shortly after, she staged a remarkable comeback in the individual final, overcoming a four-point deficit to defeat Singapore’s Alim Nur Syahidah 142-139, mirroring her victory at the Hangzhou 2023 Games.
Athletics and Archery milestones drive medal surge
The track-and-field squad remained the most prolific contributor, accounting for 52 of India’s 88 medals. The men’s high jump T63 event saw a complete podium sweep led by Shailesh Kumar, who claimed gold with a Games record jump of 1.89m. He was joined by Varun Bhati, who took silver with a season’s best of 1.84m, and Rahul, who secured bronze. On the track, sprinters Anjanaben Bumbadiya and Dilip Mahadu Gavit both secured gold in their respective 400m T47 events, while long jumper Dharmaraj Solairaj defended his title with an Asian record leap of 7.15m in the T44/T62/T64 combined category.
In the field, Suvarna Raj delivered a career-best performance to win the women’s F54 discus throw with a 15.66m effort. Meanwhile, Swati Chaudhary achieved a historic milestone for India by securing the country’s first-ever Asian Para Games medal in the W1 archery category, taking silver after a narrow 4-6 loss to China’s Cen Mengkan.
Success across swimming, badminton, and table tennis
India’s presence on the podium extended well beyond the archery range and athletics track. In the swimming pool, 18-year-old Ravi Budigina earned his third medal of the Games, a bronze in the men’s 50m freestyle S13. He was joined by Kapil Kumar, who took silver in the men’s 400m freestyle S10, while Swatik Patil and Tejas Nandakumar added bronze medals in their respective breaststroke and backstroke events.
The badminton courts also provided a highlight as Pramod Bhagat and Nitesh Kumar set up an all-Indian final in the men’s singles SL3 event. Bhagat secured his spot after a grueling two-hour-and-nine-minute semifinal victory against Korea’s Lee Seunghu. Nitesh Kumar, who also reached the mixed doubles final alongside Thulasimathi Murugesan, remains in contention for multiple gold medals. In table tennis, Bhavina Patel and Subham Wadhwa concluded their campaign with a bronze medal in the mixed doubles XD7 category after a semifinal defeat to South Korea.
