Anurag Thakur Hails India's Gold in Asian Para Games Badminton
Synopsis
Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manasi Joshi, World No. 1 and TOPS-backed athletes, beat reigning World Champions China 2-0 in Women's Doubles SL3-SU5 to win gold at the Asian Para Games 2026. BJP MP Anurag Thakur led the congratulations.
Key Takeaways
Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manasi Girishchandra Joshi won gold in Women's Doubles SL3-SU5 at the Asian Para Games 2026 .
They defeated reigning World Champions Qiuxia Yang and Zuxian Xiao of China 2-0 (21-16, 21-13) .
Both athletes are ranked World No.
1 and are supported under the government's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) .
TOPS was launched in 2014 to identify and fund elite Indian athletes, including para-sport competitors, targeting international medals.
BJP MP Anurag Thakur , former Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, publicly celebrated the win on X with the hashtag #Cheer4Bharat .
A dominant straight-set victory over the reigning World Champions, and India's para-badminton pair has delivered gold on the biggest stage in Asia. BJP MP Anurag Thakur took to X on Friday, 23 October 2026, to celebrate as Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manasi Girishchandra Joshi stormed to the top of the podium at the Asian Para Games 2026.
How Thulasimathi and Manasi dismantled the World Champions
The Women's Doubles SL3-SU5 final was never close. The Indian duo — both ranked World No. 1 — defeated China's Qiuxia Yang and Zuxian Xiao, the reigning World Champions, by a commanding 2-0 scoreline (21-16, 21-13). Not just beating their opponents — they outclassed them. From the first shuttle, India controlled tempo, and China never found an answer to the second game.
TOPS and the system behind the smash
Both athletes are supported under the government's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), launched in 2014 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to provide elite Indian athletes — including para-sport competitors — with financial backing, specialist coaching, and international exposure. Thakur, who served as Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports before his current role as Lok Sabha MP from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, was among the ministers who presided over TOPS during its expansion to para categories. The gold is a direct return on that institutional investment.
India's growing force in Asian para-badminton
India's rise in para-badminton has been methodical. Successive editions of the Asian Para Games have seen Indian shuttlers climb the medal table, powered by classification-specific training programmes and stronger international exposure for para athletes. The SL3-SU5 women's doubles category blends players with lower-limb impairment and standing classifications, demanding both precision and partnership — qualities Thulasimathi and Manasi have refined to world-beating level. Their World No. 1 ranking coming into this final was no accident; today's gold confirms it is no fluke either.
Thakur closed his post with 'Jai Hind!' — 'Victory to India!' — and the hashtag #Cheer4Bharat, a rallying call that has followed Indian para athletes across major international events. For two women who climbed to the summit of world rankings and then beat the reigning world champions on the continent's grandest para stage, the cheer feels entirely earned.
India's para-sport programme has a new gold standard — and two athletes who have set it.
Point of View
Built steadily through mechanisms like TOPS, is now producing results at the elite continental level — not just participation. For Anurag Thakur, the win carries political as well as sporting resonance: he championed TOPS expansion to para categories during his ministerial tenure, and this podium is part of that policy legacy. The straight-set defeat of the reigning World Champions signals that Indian para-badminton has moved beyond underdog status into genuine dominance. With the next Paralympic cycle approaching, this Asian Para Games gold will likely sharpen calls for increased TOPS funding and broader classification coverage.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won gold in Women's Doubles badminton at the Asian Para Games 2026?
Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manasi Girishchandra Joshi of India won gold in the Women's Doubles SL3-SU5 event at the Asian Para Games 2026, beating China's Qiuxia Yang and Zuxian Xiao 2-0.
What is the SL3-SU5 category in para badminton?
SL3-SU5 is a mixed-classification category in para badminton that pairs a player with a lower-limb impairment (SL3) and a standing player (SU5) in the doubles format.
What is the TOPS scheme and how does it help para athletes?
The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), launched in 2014, provides elite Indian athletes — including para-sport competitors — with financial support, specialist coaching, and international competition exposure to help them win medals at major events.
What did Anurag Thakur say about India's Asian Para Games 2026 gold?
BJP MP Anurag Thakur posted on X to congratulate Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manasi Joshi, calling them World No. 1 and TOPS athletes, and said they had 'made the nation proud.'
Is Thulasimathi Murugesan ranked World No. 1 in para badminton?
According to BJP MP Anurag Thakur's post, both Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manasi Joshi are part of the World No. 1 duo in the Women's Doubles SL3-SU5 para badminton category.
