CM Rekha Gupta shares Modi's rallying cry on India's Asian Games rise
Synopsis
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta shared a quote from PM Narendra Modi stating India is now winning Asian Games medals in sports where it had no historical podium finishes, as the country eyes the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya edition after a record 107-medal haul in Hangzhou.
Key Takeaways
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta shared a quote attributed to PM Narendra Modi on October 15, 2026, highlighting India's medals in previously uncharted Asian Games disciplines.
India won a record 107 medals at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games , finishing fourth overall — its best-ever performance at the event.
The Khelo India programme , launched in 2017 , has been a central policy driver behind grassroots talent development across non-traditional sports.
India's sporting diversification extends beyond wrestling, shooting, and badminton into disciplines that historically yielded no continental medals.
The 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan will be the next major benchmark for India's expanding medal ambitions.
India's medal map at the Asian Games is being redrawn — and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta wants every Indian to notice. On Thursday, October 15, 2026, the BJP leader took to X to amplify a pointed remark by Prime Minister Narendra Modi: that India is now winning medals in disciplines where the country had never stood on an Asian Games podium before.
The quote shared by CM Gupta, originally attributed to the Prime Minister, reads: 'Aaj Bharat aise khelon mein bhi medal jeet raha hai, jinmein Asian Games ke itihaas mein humein pehle kabhi medal nahin mila tha' — 'Today India is winning medals in sports in which we had never won a medal in the entire history of the Asian Games.'
A record haul at Hangzhou set the stage
The statement lands against a backdrop of genuine momentum. At the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, India delivered its finest-ever performance at the continental showpiece, collecting a historic 107 medals and finishing fourth in the overall standings. That tally shattered previous records and was driven not just by India's traditional strengths — wrestling, shooting, and badminton — but by breakthroughs in newer disciplines that had rarely, if ever, yielded podium finishes for the country.Khelo India's long game pays dividends
The infrastructure behind this shift did not appear overnight. The Khelo India programme, launched in 2017, was designed precisely to do this: find and fund talent in non-mainstream sports at the grassroots level, build competitive pathways, and give athletes from smaller towns access to elite training. Nearly a decade on, the ripple effects are showing up on continental scoreboards. Government messaging has consistently framed this diversification — medals in sports India once conceded entirely — as proof that the investment model is working. CM Gupta's post is squarely in that tradition: a governing-party leader amplifying a Prime Minister's line that ties sporting results to policy vision.Eyes on Aichi-Nagoya 2026
With the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan on the horizon, the political and sporting establishment alike will be watching whether India can hold or extend its 107-medal benchmark. Athlete selection, training-camp readiness and federation-level preparation are all under the microscope. The Prime Minister's quoted remark — and its amplification by a senior BJP leader on social media — signals that sporting achievement will remain a visible plank of the government's public narrative heading into this edition. India has come a long way from the margins of the Asian Games medal table. The question now is not whether the country can compete in new disciplines — it already has — but whether it can turn those breakthroughs into durable, repeating podium finishes at Aichi-Nagoya.Point of View
This narrative will intensify, positioning the Khelo India ecosystem as the origin story for every podium surprise. It also signals that sport — once a soft footnote in BJP campaign messaging — has graduated to a frontline proof point of governance.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did PM Modi say about India and the Asian Games?
PM Modi was quoted as saying that India is now winning medals in sports where the country had never won a medal in the entire history of the Asian Games, a statement shared by Delhi CM Rekha Gupta on X on October 15, 2026.
How many medals did India win at the 2023 Asian Games?
India won a record 107 medals at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, finishing fourth overall — the country's best-ever tally at the continental games.
What is the Khelo India programme?
Khelo India is a government scheme launched in 2017 to promote grassroots sports, identify talent in non-mainstream disciplines, and provide elite training pathways for athletes across the country.
Where are the 2026 Asian Games being held?
The 2026 Asian Games are scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan .
Why is Rekha Gupta sharing Modi's sports quote?
As Delhi Chief Minister and a BJP leader, Rekha Gupta is amplifying the Prime Minister's remark to highlight India's sporting progress under the current government — connecting grassroots investment to podium results ahead of the 2026 Asian Games.
