CM Rekha Gupta hails Bhawna, Pooja's Para Games silver
Synopsis
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta praised para-archers Bhawna and Pooja for winning silver in the Women's Recurve Doubles at the Asian Para Games 2026, highlighting their teamwork and fighting spirit as a source of national pride.
Key Takeaways
Bhawna and Pooja won the silver medal in Women's Recurve Doubles at the Asian Para Games 2026 .
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta publicly congratulated the duo on 23 October 2026 .
The Asian Para Games is a quadrennial multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities across Asia, governed by the Asian Paralympic Committee .
India has participated in the Games since the 2010 Guangzhou edition , with medal tallies improving through 2014 and 2018.
Indian political leaders routinely amplify para-sport victories as part of a broader push for inclusivity in national sporting recognition.
Two para-archers. One silver medal. And a nation watching. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday, 23 October 2026 congratulated Bhawna and Pooja on claiming the silver medal in the Women's Recurve Doubles event at the Asian Para Games 2026, calling their performance a source of national pride.
A podium finish that resonates beyond the sport
The Chief Minister's message pointed to three qualities she singled out: 'focus, teamwork and fighting spirit.' Those are not throwaway words in the context of para archery — a discipline that demands extraordinary physical steadiness and mental composure from athletes navigating competition with physical disabilities. Bhawna and Pooja delivered both on the biggest continental stage available to para athletes in Asia.
The Asian Para Games is organised under the Asian Paralympic Committee and held every four years, mirroring the structure of the Asian Games. It is the continent's premier multi-sport platform for athletes with disabilities. India has been a participant since the 2010 Guangzhou edition, with the country's medal tallies climbing through the 2014 Incheon and 2018 Jakarta editions — a trajectory that makes each subsequent result a data point in a longer story of growing para-sport infrastructure and ambition.
Why political recognition of para athletes matters
Indian political leaders have made a visible habit of publicly acknowledging para-sport victories alongside mainstream athletic achievements. The pattern is deliberate — it signals institutional validation at a time when para athletes in India have historically operated with fewer resources and far less public attention than their able-bodied counterparts. A Chief Minister's post on a major platform like X extends that recognition to millions of followers who may not have been tracking the archery range in real time.
For Bhawna and Pooja, the silver in the Women's Recurve Doubles is not simply a medal — it is proof of concept that India's para archery programme can compete at the highest continental level as a team unit, not just as individual performers.
With the 2026 Asian Para Games still unfolding, all eyes will be on India's final medal count and whether the government translates the post-Games spotlight into sustained policy and funding commitments for para sport. Bhawna and Pooja have done their part. The next arrow belongs to the establishment.
Point of View
Not an afterthought. For the BJP-led Delhi government, spotlighting para athletes like Bhawna and Pooja also reinforces a narrative of national pride that cuts across party lines and resonates with a broad electorate. The 2026 Asian Para Games arrive at a moment when India's para-sport infrastructure is under scrutiny; each medal celebration raises the bar for the institutional support that athletes expect to follow. Whether these congratulations translate into concrete policy action — funding, coaching, facilities — will determine if the applause outlasts the podium.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Bhawna and Pooja in Asian Para Games 2026?
Bhawna and Pooja are Indian para-archers who won the silver medal in the Women's Recurve Doubles event at the Asian Para Games 2026, drawing congratulations from Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
What is the Women's Recurve Doubles event in para archery?
The Women's Recurve Doubles is a team archery event in which two female athletes with disabilities compete together using recurve bows, aiming for the highest combined score against other national pairs.
What are the Asian Para Games?
The Asian Para Games are a quadrennial multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities across Asia, organised under the Asian Paralympic Committee. India has participated since the 2010 Guangzhou edition.
When did Rekha Gupta congratulate Bhawna and Pooja?
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta posted her congratulations on 23 October 2026 , the same day the silver medal result was celebrated online.
How has India performed historically at the Asian Para Games?
India has participated in every Asian Para Games since 2010, with medal tallies showing successive improvements at the 2014 Incheon and 2018 Jakarta editions, reflecting gradual growth in the country's para-sport programme.
