On the soil of Japan, Indian para athletes wrote another proud chapter — and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini made sure the country noticed. On Thursday, 22 October 2026, Saini took to X to congratulate five athletes who delivered medals at the Asian Para Games 2026, celebrating a gold and two bronzes across archery and badminton.

Saini's post, shared in Hindi, opened with a stirring declaration: 'जापान की धरती पर... प्रतिभा, परिश्रम और दृढ़ संकल्प का परचम लहराया है' — 'On the soil of Japan, Indian para athletes have raised the flag of talent, hard work, and resolve.' He named each winner by name and event, a specificity that lifted the congratulation beyond routine rhetoric.

Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar's Gold in Para Compound Mixed Team

Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar claimed gold in the para compound mixed team archery event — the headline result Saini led with. Sheetal, one of Indian para sport's most compelling figures, has built a record of international medals in compound archery that has made her a household name beyond the para circuit. This mixed-team gold reinforces her status as an anchor of India's para archery programme at the continental level.

Abhijeet Sakhuja and Suhas Yathiraj Bronze in Para Badminton SL4

Abhijeet Sakhuja and Suhas L. Yathiraj each earned a bronze medal in men's singles SL4 para badminton. Suhas, an IAS officer turned elite para shuttler, has been among India's most decorated para badminton names across Asian Para Games and Paralympic cycles — his podium finish here adds another line to a decorated career. Saini's shout-out to both athletes in the same breath reflects Haryana's particular pride in Suhas, who has strong ties to the state's sports ecosystem.

Sanjana Kumari's Bronze in Women's Singles SL3

Sanjana Kumari rounded off the haul with a bronze in women's singles SL3 para badminton. Her medal signals a deepening of India's women's para badminton bench — the SL3 category, for athletes with lower-limb impairment who compete standing, demands extraordinary agility and mental fortitude on court.

Haryana's Para Sports Tradition and a Nation Watching

The congratulations fit a well-established pattern: since the 2016 Rio Paralympics, state leaders — especially in Haryana, which has a strong sports infrastructure and athlete-welfare tradition — have made para sports visibility a political and policy priority. India's 111-medal haul at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou set a high watermark; every competition since has been watched as a test of whether that momentum holds.

Saini closed his post with a forward-looking note — that these athletes' achievements 'will continue to inspire the new generation toward excellence.' With the 2028 Paralympics on the horizon, the performances in Japan are not just medals; they are qualifiers for ambition.