CM Mohan Yadav Hails India's Gold-Silver Sweep at Asian Para Games 2026
Synopsis
Madhya Pradesh CM Dr. Mohan Yadav congratulated Soumya, who won gold with a personal best of 5:12.39, and Radha Venkatesh, who claimed silver with 5:30.90, in the Women's 1500m T12/13 at the Asian Para Games 2026, calling it a sweep that made the nation proud.
Key Takeaways
Soumya won gold in the Women's 1500m T12/13 at the Asian Para Games 2026 with a personal best time of 5:12.39 .
Radha Venkatesh secured silver in the same event, clocking 5:30.90 .
India achieved a gold-silver sweep in a single track event at the continental para-games.
Madhya Pradesh CM Dr.
Mohan Yadav posted congratulations on 19 October 2026 via X.
The T12/13 category covers athletes with visual impairment competing without a guide runner.
The Asian Para Games is a quadrennial event by the Asian Paralympic Committee and a key step toward Paralympic qualification.
A gold-silver double for India at the Asian Para Games 2026 — and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav was among the first to mark the moment. On Monday, 19 October 2026, Dr. Yadav took to X to congratulate para-athletes Soumya and Radha Venkatesh after the two swept the podium in the Women's 1500m T12/13 event.
Soumya claimed gold with a personal best of 5:12.39, while Radha Venkatesh secured silver clocking an impressive 5:30.90. Dr. Yadav called their performances 'remarkable' and said they had 'made the nation proud and inspired millions,' posting under the hashtags #Cheer4Bharat and #AsianParaGames2026.
A Personal Best That Signals a New Benchmark
Soumya's winning time of 5:12.39 was not just a medal — it was a statement. Clocking a personal best on the continental stage, in a T12/13 category that covers athletes with visual impairment, signals the rising quality of India's para-athletics pipeline. Radha Venkatesh's 5:30.90 on the same track underlined that this was no one-off.
The T12 and T13 classifications cover athletes with varying degrees of visual impairment who compete without a guide runner, making the precision and pace of both performances all the more striking.
Asian Para Games: The Stage Behind the Sweep
The Asian Para Games is a quadrennial multi-sport event organised by the Asian Paralympic Committee, sitting just below the Paralympic Games in prestige and serving as the continent's premier showcase for para-sport talent. For India's para-athletes, continental medals are a critical step toward Paralympic qualification cycles and global visibility.
Indian political leaders have increasingly used social media to amplify para-sport victories — a pattern that reflects growing institutional recognition of athletes who have historically competed with far less spotlight than their able-bodied counterparts.
India's Broader Medal Watch
With the 2026 Asian Para Games still underway, the Women's 1500m gold-silver sweep adds to what India hopes will be a strong overall tally. Every medal at this level carries weight — not just in the standings, but in the conversations that shape funding, coaching infrastructure, and future selection pipelines back home.
Two athletes, one race, two podium spots, and a personal best. India's para-athletics programme just delivered one of its cleanest possible results.
Point of View
Clean sweep that points to genuine depth in the country's para-sport programme, not just individual brilliance. Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav's prompt public recognition fits a broader pattern of political leaders using continental para-sport victories to signal inclusive sporting nationalism — a messaging choice that carries real policy implications for how disability sport is funded and celebrated. With the Asian Para Games still in progress, this sweep raises the stakes for India's final medal count and the benchmark conversations it will fuel. The personal best attached to the gold medal is the detail that matters most: it suggests Soumya is on an upward trajectory heading into the next Paralympic cycle.
NationPress
19 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won gold in the Women's 1500m T12/13 at the Asian Para Games 2026?
Soumya of India won the gold medal in the Women's 1500m T12/13 event at the Asian Para Games 2026, setting a personal best time of 5:12.39.
What time did Radha Venkatesh clock to win silver at Asian Para Games 2026?
Radha Venkatesh clocked 5:30.90 to secure the silver medal in the Women's 1500m T12/13 event at the Asian Para Games 2026.
What is the T12/13 classification in para-athletics?
T12 and T13 are para-athletics classifications for athletes with visual impairment. Athletes in these categories compete on the track without a guide runner.
What is the Asian Para Games?
The Asian Para Games is a quadrennial multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities, organised by the Asian Paralympic Committee. It is the continent's premier para-sport competition and sits just below the Paralympic Games in global prestige.
Why did Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav congratulate Soumya and Radha Venkatesh?
Dr. Mohan Yadav, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and BJP leader, posted congratulations on X on 19 October 2026 after Soumya and Radha Venkatesh swept gold and silver in the Women's 1500m T12/13 at the Asian Para Games 2026.
