Anurag Thakur Hails India's 100th Medal at Asian Para Games 2026
Synopsis
BJP MP Anurag Thakur celebrated India's 100th medal at the Asian Para Games 2026, as Sandeep won gold in Men's 400m T64 with a world record of 42.28 seconds, while Ajay Kumar took bronze in the same event.
Key Takeaways
Sandeep won gold in Men's 400m T64 at the Asian Para Games 2026 with a world-record time of 42.28 seconds .
Ajay Kumar won bronze in the same event, giving India a double podium finish.
The gold was India's 100th medal at the 2026 edition of the Asian Para Games.
BJP MP Anurag Thakur , former Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, congratulated both athletes on 23 October 2026 .
India has participated in the Asian Para Games since the 2010 Guangzhou edition, with medal tallies rising steadily across each Games.
Gold, a world record, and a historic century — India's para-athletes delivered all three in a single afternoon. BJP MP Anurag Thakur took to X on Friday, 23 October 2026 to celebrate Sandeep's gold-medal run in the Men's 400m T64 at the Asian Para Games 2026, a performance that clocked a world-record 42.28 seconds and simultaneously pushed India to its 100th medal of the Games.
Thakur's post also saluted Ajay Kumar, who claimed bronze in the same event, ensuring a remarkable Indian double on the track. 'Heartiest congratulations to Sandeep for winning Gold and setting a new World Record (42.28s) to secure India's 100th medal, and Ajay Kumar who won Bronze,' Thakur wrote, adding: 'The entire nation salutes your dedication, determination and undeterred spirit.'
Sandeep's 42.28s — What a World Record Looks Like
The T64 classification covers lower-limb amputee athletes competing with a prosthetic running blade. Breaking a world record in this category demands not just raw speed but extraordinary biomechanical precision, making Sandeep's 42.28-second run a technical and athletic feat in equal measure. Ajay Kumar's bronze in the same final means India swept two of the three podium spots in the event — a statement result on the continental stage.
India's Century of Medals at the Asian Para Games
India has competed at the Asian Para Games — organised by the Asian Paralympic Committee every four years — since the inaugural 2010 Guangzhou edition. Each successive Games has seen India's tally climb, reflecting a decade-plus of expanding training infrastructure, classification support, and institutional focus on inclusive sports. Crossing 100 medals in a single edition of the Games marks a new high-water mark, underscoring how far the programme has travelled from its modest early totals.
A Former Sports Minister's Salute
Thakur, who served as Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, has consistently amplified para-sports achievements on social media, lending political visibility to athletes who have historically operated outside the mainstream sports spotlight. His use of the hashtag #Cheer4Bharat — a rallying tag tied to national sporting campaigns — frames the milestone as a collective national moment, not merely a competitive result.
One hundred medals. One world record. One afternoon. India's para-athletes have just rewritten what's possible — and the next Paralympic cycle begins with this as its baseline.
Point of View
Amplifying this milestone is both a political signal and a continuation of a policy narrative around inclusive sporting achievement. The world record in T64 athletics specifically adds a dimension beyond medal count, placing an Indian athlete in a global conversation. Whether the momentum translates into sustained funding increases and stronger Paralympic cycles will be the real test of institutional commitment.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sandeep and what world record did he set at the Asian Para Games 2026?
Sandeep is an Indian para-athlete who won gold in the Men's 400m T64 event at the Asian Para Games 2026, setting a world record time of 42.28 seconds.
What is India's total medal count at the Asian Para Games 2026?
Sandeep's gold medal in Men's 400m T64 was India's 100th medal at the Asian Para Games 2026, marking a historic milestone for Indian para-sports.
What is the T64 classification in para athletics?
The T64 classification is for athletes with a lower-limb amputation who compete using a prosthetic running blade, requiring both speed and biomechanical precision.
What did Ajay Kumar win at the Asian Para Games 2026?
Ajay Kumar won bronze in the Men's 400m T64 event at the Asian Para Games 2026, giving India two of three podium positions in the final.
Why did Anurag Thakur post about the Asian Para Games 2026?
Anurag Thakur, a BJP MP and former Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, regularly highlights Indian sporting achievements; he congratulated Sandeep and Ajay Kumar on 23 October 2026 for their medals and India's 100-medal milestone.
