Anurag Thakur Hails Ravi Krishna's Silver at Asian Para Games
Synopsis
BJP MP Anurag Thakur congratulated para-swimmer Ravi Krishna Budigina for winning silver in the Men's Freestyle S13 event at the Asian Para Games 2026, calling it a historic achievement and tagging the post #Cheer4Bharat.
Key Takeaways
Ravi Krishna Budigina won the silver medal in Men's Freestyle Swimming S13 at the Asian Para Games 2026 .
BJP MP Anurag Thakur publicly congratulated the athlete on 19 October 2026 via X.
The S13 classification covers swimmers with visual impairment competing with tapper assistance.
Para-athletes have been included under TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme) since 2018 , providing structured training and financial support.
The Asian Para Games is a quadrennial continental event organised by the Asian Paralympic Committee .
India's performance at these Games typically informs post-event reviews of para-sports funding and infrastructure .
A para-swimmer from India just rewrote his own story — and the country is taking notice. BJP MP Anurag Thakur took to X on Monday, 19 October 2026, to congratulate Ravi Krishna Budigina on claiming a silver medal in the Men's Freestyle Swimming S13 event at the Asian Para Games 2026, calling it a moment where Ravi 'creates History.'
Ravi Krishna's silver in the S13 pool
The S13 classification is designated for swimmers with visual impairment, where athletes compete with the aid of tappers — guides who signal the approaching wall. Winning silver at the Asian Para Games in this category places Ravi Krishna Budigina firmly among Asia's elite para-swimmers. Thakur's post, tagged #Cheer4Bharat, amplified the achievement to a national audience within hours of the result.
Asian Para Games and what a medal here means
The Asian Para Games is a quadrennial multi-sport competition organised by the Asian Paralympic Committee, widely regarded as the continent's premier stage for para-athletes ahead of the global Paralympic cycle. A podium finish here signals both form and readiness at the highest level. India has gradually expanded its footprint at the Games, fielding larger and more competitive contingents with each edition.
India's para-sports push — the policy thread behind the medal
Ravi Krishna's silver does not arrive in a vacuum. Since 2018, para-athletes have been brought under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), giving them structured access to funding, coaching, and international competition exposure that was once reserved for able-bodied athletes alone. The broadening of TOPS marked a philosophical shift: para-sport achievement counted as national achievement, full stop.
Anurag Thakur, as former Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, was a vocal champion of that shift during his tenure. His public congratulations today carry the weight of someone who understands the infrastructure — and the gaps — behind every para-medal India wins.
What Ravi Krishna's medal signals for para-swimming in India
Para-swimming has historically been one of India's stronger disciplines at continental para-events, yet it rarely commands the mainstream spotlight that athletics or badminton attracts. A silver at the 2026 Asian Para Games could help change that calculus — drawing more young swimmers with visual impairments into organised training pipelines. The medal tally India assembles at these Games will also feed directly into any post-Games review of para-sports funding and infrastructure, something policymakers and sports administrators will be watching closely.
One swimmer. One silver. And a reminder that the deeper the support system, the higher the podium.
Point of View
Better vision-impaired swimmer pipelines — is the real test ahead.
NationPress
19 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ravi Krishna Budigina?
Ravi Krishna Budigina is an Indian para-swimmer competing in the S13 classification, designated for athletes with visual impairment. He won silver in Men's Freestyle Swimming S13 at the Asian Para Games 2026.
What is the S13 classification in para-swimming?
S13 is a classification for swimmers with visual impairment who retain some residual vision. Athletes in this category compete with the assistance of 'tappers' who signal the approaching pool wall.
What are the Asian Para Games?
The Asian Para Games is a quadrennial multi-sport competition for para-athletes across Asia, organised by the Asian Paralympic Committee. It is the continent's premier para-sport event and serves as a key preparatory stage before the global Paralympics.
What is the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and does it cover para-athletes?
TOPS is India's flagship scheme to provide elite athletes with financial support, foreign training exposure, and coaching. Para-athletes were formally included in TOPS from 2018 onwards, significantly expanding government backing for para-sport performance.
Why did Anurag Thakur congratulate Ravi Krishna Budigina?
As BJP Lok Sabha MP and former Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Thakur regularly highlights Indian sporting achievements. He posted on X to congratulate Ravi Krishna on the silver medal and used the hashtag #Cheer4Bharat to channel national pride around the result.
