Anurag Thakur Hails TOPS Athletes on Asian Para Games Silver
Synopsis
BJP MP Anurag Thakur congratulated TOPS-supported para badminton players Nitesh Kumar and world No. 2 Thulasimathi Murugesan after they clinched silver in Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5 at the Asian Para Games 2026, underlining India's growing para sport momentum.
Key Takeaways
Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murugesan won silver in Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5 at the Asian Para Games 2026 .
Thulasimathi Murugesan holds a World Ranking of 2 in her para badminton category.
Both athletes are enrolled under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) , launched in 2014 to support elite para and Olympic athletes.
BJP MP Anurag Thakur , former Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports, publicly congratulated the pair on 23 October 2026 .
India has steadily scaled up para sport funding and TOPS support across successive Asian Para Games and Paralympic cycles.
A world No. 2 and her partner delivered on the big stage — and BJP MP Anurag Thakur was quick to recognise it. On Friday, 23 October 2026, the former Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports congratulated Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murugesan for clinching silver in the Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5 category at the Asian Para Games 2026, calling out both athletes by their TOPS identity.
Thulasimathi's world ranking and what it means on the court
Thulasimathi Murugesan enters this tournament ranked World No. 2 in her category — a standing earned through sustained competitive performances across international para badminton circuits. Pairing her with Nitesh Kumar, himself a supported athlete under India's flagship elite-training scheme, made the Mixed Doubles combination one of the stronger Indian prospects heading into the Games. A silver medal in that context is a result the Indian para badminton contingent will take with pride.
TOPS: the engine behind India's para sport ambitions
Both athletes are enrolled under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), launched in 2014 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports to place direct financial, coaching, and infrastructure support behind athletes with genuine podium potential — including para sportspersons. The scheme's logic is simple: identify talent early, remove financial friction, and track performance systematically. The Asian Para Games silver is a concrete return on that investment.
India's broader push in para sports has gathered momentum across successive editions of the Asian Para Games and the Paralympics, with TOPS expanding its para athlete roster in step with rising medal expectations. The ecosystem now spans early identification, international exposure, and targeted conditioning — all feeding into a longer cycle aimed at the next Paralympic Games.
Anurag Thakur's stake in para sport's rise
Thakur, who served as Union Minister for both Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports before returning to his Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh Lok Sabha seat, has consistently championed India's para athletes during and after his ministerial tenure. His post specifically tags the #Cheer4Bharat handle, the government's rallying identity for Indian athletes at multi-sport events — signalling continued personal investment in the cause beyond the ministry.
For Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murugesan, the silver adds to an Asian Para Games chapter still being written — and for Indian para badminton, the direction of travel is unmistakably upward.
Point of View
Scheme-backed support can translate into podium results at elite multi-sport events. Anurag Thakur's public acknowledgement, routed through the government's own #Cheer4Bharat identity, reflects a deliberate political-communications strategy of associating the ruling establishment with para sport success. The broader arc here is one of institutional maturation: India is no longer congratulating para athletes as an afterthought but positioning their medals within the same aspirational frame as Olympic glory. The next benchmark will be how many of these Asian Para Games performers convert that form into hardware at the upcoming Paralympic cycle.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murugesan?
Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murugesan are Indian para badminton players supported under the government's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). Thulasimathi holds a World Ranking of 2 in her category.
What medal did India win in Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5 at the Asian Para Games 2026?
India won a silver medal in the Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5 para badminton event at the Asian Para Games 2026, claimed by the pair of Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murugesan.
What is the TOPS scheme in Indian sports?
TOPS — the Target Olympic Podium Scheme — was launched in 2014 by India's Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. It provides financial assistance, elite coaching, and infrastructure support to identified athletes, including para sportspersons, who have genuine medal potential at the Olympics and Paralympics.
What is Anurag Thakur's connection to Indian sports?
Anurag Thakur is a BJP Lok Sabha MP from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, and served as Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports, during which he oversaw programs including TOPS and India's preparations for global multi-sport events.
What is the Asian Para Games?
The Asian Para Games is a quadrennial multi-sport event for para athletes across Asia, organised under the Asian Paralympic Committee. India fields contingents across multiple sports including para badminton.
