CM Himanta cheers India's 5-medal haul at Asian Games
Synopsis
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma celebrated five Indian medals at the Asian Games on 2 October 2026 — silvers for wrestler Nitesh and the Men's Skiff sailing pair, and bronzes for both squash teams and compound archer Ganesh Maniratnam Thirumuru.
Key Takeaways
Nitesh won silver in Men's Greco-Roman 97kg wrestling at the Asian Games.
Prince Noble and Manu Francis claimed silver in Men's Skiff sailing.
Both India's Men's and Women's Squash Teams took home bronze medals .
Ganesh Maniratnam Thirumuru won bronze in Men's Compound Individual archery .
India added five medals in a single day across wrestling, sailing, squash, and archery.
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma posted his congratulations just after midnight IST on 2 October 2026 .
Five more medals for the tricolour — and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was among the first to mark the moment. On Friday, 2 October 2026, the BJP leader and NEDA convenor took to X to celebrate a strong Indian performance at the Asian Games, calling out five athletes and teams by name across wrestling, sailing, squash, and archery.
Nitesh's Greco-Roman silver and the sailing pair's podium finish
Leading the day's haul was Nitesh, who clinched silver in Men's Greco-Roman 97kg wrestling — a discipline that demands raw power and technical discipline in equal measure. Sarma singled him out first, a nod to the significance of a Greco-Roman medal at the continental stage, where India has historically found the going toughest in this particular style.
On the water, Prince Noble and Manu Francis paired up in the Men's Skiff event to secure another silver — India's sailing programme quietly adding to a day that stretched across arenas and disciplines.
Three bronzes from squash courts and the compound archery range
India's squash story at the Games grew louder as both the Men's Squash Team and the Women's Squash Team brought home bronze medals — a double from the glass-walled courts that underlines the sport's rising depth in the country. Alongside them, Ganesh Maniratnam Thirumuru earned a bronze in Men's Compound Individual archery, adding a fifth medal to the day's tally.
Sarma's post — 'Another strong day for Bharat at the Asian Games!' — reflected the cumulative pride of a delegation firing across multiple sports on the same afternoon. Five medals, five names, five disciplines. That breadth is the story.
A political voice amplifying athletic achievement
As convenor of the North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) and a prominent BJP voice in the country's northeast, Sarma has consistently used his platform to celebrate national sporting milestones. The post, timed just after midnight IST, ensured the athletes' efforts reached his audience before the next news cycle began. For a region that has produced competitive archers and combat-sports athletes, the acknowledgement carries a particular resonance.
Five medals in a day is not a footnote — it is a statement of bench strength. India's Asian Games campaign continues, and if 2 October 2026 is the benchmark, the final medal count could be something worth celebrating all over again.
Point of View
Sailing, squash, archery) signals India's widening competitive footprint at the continental level, moving well beyond its traditional medal-earners. For Sarma, who governs a northeast region with a strong combat-sports and archery culture, acknowledging these disciplines is also regionally resonant. The timing — midnight IST — suggests a calculated effort to set the narrative ahead of the morning news cycle.
NationPress
2 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Nitesh and what medal did he win at the Asian Games 2026?
Nitesh won a silver medal in the Men's Greco-Roman 97kg wrestling event at the Asian Games 2026, as celebrated by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on X.
Who are Prince Noble and Manu Francis?
Prince Noble and Manu Francis are Indian sailors who won silver in the Men's Skiff event at the Asian Games 2026.
Did India's squash teams win medals at the Asian Games 2026?
Yes, both India's Men's Squash Team and Women's Squash Team won bronze medals at the Asian Games 2026.
Who is Ganesh Maniratnam Thirumuru?
Ganesh Maniratnam Thirumuru is an Indian compound archer who won a bronze medal in the Men's Compound Individual event at the Asian Games 2026.
How many medals did India win on 2 October 2026 at the Asian Games?
India won five medals on 2 October 2026 at the Asian Games — two silvers (wrestling and sailing) and three bronzes (men's squash, women's squash, and compound archery).
