Two gold medals in a single day from one athlete — that is the headline Shital Devi wrote at the Asian Para Games 2026, and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was among the first voices to salute it. On Thursday, 22 October 2026, CM Dhami posted heartfelt congratulations to three Indian para athletes whose performances lit up the Games.

In his post, Dhami extended warm wishes to Suvarna Raj for clinching gold in the women's F-54 discus throw event, and to Shital Devi and Toman Kumar for their gold in the Para Compound Mixed Team archery event. He saved special mention for Shital Devi, who added a second gold in the women's Para Compound Individual event — a feat the CM described as 'raising the nation's honour.'

Shital Devi's double gold — what it means

Shital Devi's two-gold haul in a single edition of the Asian Para Games marks a significant personal milestone for the young archer. Competing in both an individual and a mixed-team format in the same tournament and winning both demands not just physical precision but sustained mental composure under pressure. CM Dhami's post specifically singled her out, noting that she 'raised the prestige of the country' — 'देश का मान बढ़ाया है' — with the individual gold.

Suvarna Raj's gold in the F-54 discus throw adds a field-athletics dimension to India's medal haul at the Games, underscoring the breadth of para athletic talent the country is fielding. The F-54 classification covers athletes with full arm function but limited trunk and leg movement — making every throw a feat of core technique and upper-body power.

Dhami's message — perseverance as a national value

Beyond the congratulations, Dhami's post carried a pointed message: that 'physical challenges notwithstanding, your hard work, firm resolve, and continuous effort have proved that with strong willpower and self-confidence, every goal can be achieved.' The framing positions these athletes explicitly as 'preranaasrot' — a source of inspiration — for India's youth.

Indian political leaders routinely mark para-sport achievements at continental events, and such public salutes have grown more prominent as India's disability-sport infrastructure has expanded. The Asian Para Games, held every four years alongside the Asian Games cycle, has increasingly become a stage where Indian para athletes demonstrate world-class competitive depth.

Three golds in marquee events — archery, field athletics, and a team format — signal that India arrived at the 2026 edition not merely to participate, but to contend. If the rest of the Indian contingent matches this opening burst, the government's follow-up recognition — state honours, financial awards, and national felicitations — will not be far behind.