India’s para-athletes delivered a remarkable performance at the Asian Para Games 2026, securing a record-breaking 114 medals, including 30 gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze. The achievement surpassed India’s previous best of 108 medals at the 2023 Hangzhou Games, marking a new milestone for the country’s para-sports contingent. Indian athletes added nine gold medals on the final day, giving the campaign a memorable finish.
India sent a contingent of 168 athletes for the competition, approximately half the size of its team at the 2023 edition. Despite the smaller delegation, the athletes improved on the country’s previous medal tally, highlighting India’s growing strength and competitiveness in para-sports. India was placed fourth in the medal standings, although its final position depended on the outcomes of the remaining events.
Athletics emerged as India’s biggest medal contributor, with the country winning 65 medals in the discipline—12 more than its tally in 2023. Indian athletes also produced notable performances in badminton, archery and shooting, helping the contingent achieve its overall record. Badminton was among the standout sports for India, with the team winning three gold medals. Paralympic champion Nitesh Kumar defeated fellow Indian and Tokyo Paralympic gold medallist Pramod Bhagat 21-18, 21-16 in the men’s singles SL3 final to claim gold. Nitesh also secured a silver medal in the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 event alongside Thulasimathi Murugesan.
Making his Asian Para Games debut, Naveen Sivakumar impressed in the men’s singles SL4 final, defeating Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan 21-9, 21-17 to win gold. His victory added another major achievement to India’s successful badminton campaign. In women’s doubles, Thulasimathi Murugesan and Mansi Joshi won gold after defeating China’s Yang Qiuxia and Xiao Zhuxian 21-16, 21-13 in the final. Thulasimathi also earned silver in the women’s singles SU5 event, finishing the competition with one gold and two silver medals. The achievement marks a significant step forward for Indian para-sports.
