Puri Hails India's Double Podium in Para Javelin at Asian Para Games 2026
Synopsis
Pradeep Kumar won Silver and Ayush Verma won Bronze in Men's Javelin Throw F53/54 at the Asian Para Games 2026. Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri hailed the 'fabulous double podium finish', also highlighting PSPB's role in supporting Indian para-athletes.
Key Takeaways
Pradeep Kumar won Silver in Men's Javelin Throw F53/54 at the Asian Para Games 2026 .
Ayush Verma won Bronze in the same event, completing a double-podium finish for India.
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri congratulated both athletes on 20 October 2026 .
The F53/54 classification covers seated field athletes with impaired trunk and leg function.
PSPB (Petroleum Sports Promotion Board) , under the Petroleum Ministry, was tagged — highlighting its support role for Indian athletes.
India has recorded multiple double-podium finishes at the 2026 Asian Para Games, reflecting growing depth in para-athletics.
India delivered another electrifying double-podium moment at the Asian Para Games 2026 — and Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri was quick to salute the champions. Pradeep Kumar claimed Silver and Ayush Verma claimed Bronze in the Men's Javelin Throw F53/54 event, adding fresh lustre to India's Para-athletics campaign on Tuesday, 20 October 2026.
Pradeep Kumar and Ayush Verma light up the F53/54 final
The F53/54 classification covers field athletes with impaired trunk and leg function, typically competing from a seated throwing position — making the explosive power and technical precision on display all the more remarkable. Pradeep Kumar secured Silver, while Ayush Verma rounded out the podium with Bronze, ensuring the Indian tricolour was raised twice in a single final.
Puri described the result as 'another fabulous double podium finish', tagging the Paralympic Committee of India in his post — a reflection of how senior government voices have rallied behind India's para-sport ecosystem in recent years.
A 'double podium' pattern India's para-athletes are making routine
The phrase 'another' in Puri's post is telling. India's contingent has been stacking multiple medals within single disciplines at the 2026 Asian Para Games, signalling a depth of talent that goes well beyond individual brilliance. Para Javelin has emerged as one of the country's strongest events, with athletes training under a structure backed by the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) and supported by sports bodies including PSPB (Petroleum Sports Promotion Board) — the sports wing of India's public-sector oil companies, which Puri's own ministry oversees.
PSPB's tag in the minister's post is not incidental. The board has long been a financial backbone for Indian athletes across disciplines, offering employment and training infrastructure that allows para-athletes to compete professionally rather than juggling sport with livelihood pressures.
Why the ministry's voice on para-sport matters
When a cabinet minister — rather than just a sports body — amplifies para-athletic achievement, it sends a signal about where the government places these wins in the national conversation. India's para-sport ecosystem has historically operated in the shadow of able-bodied athletics; high-profile endorsements from senior ministers help shift that calculus, drawing public attention and, over time, sponsorship and policy resources.
For Pradeep Kumar and Ayush Verma, the medals are personal milestones — but within the larger arc of Indian para-sport, they are data points in a trajectory that is unmistakably upward.
Two athletes, one final, two flags on the podium. The scoreboard keeps updating — and India's para-athletics story is nowhere near its final chapter.
Point of View
Reinforcing the political value of para-athlete success. As India builds toward the LA 2028 Paralympic cycle, moments like the Pradeep Kumar–Ayush Verma final serve as both proof of concept and pressure on the state to deepen that infrastructure further.
NationPress
20 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won medals in Men's Javelin Throw F53/54 at the Asian Para Games 2026?
Pradeep Kumar won the Silver medal and Ayush Verma won the Bronze medal in Men's Javelin Throw F53/54 at the Asian Para Games 2026 .
What is the F53/54 classification in para-athletics?
The F53/54 classification applies to field athletes with impaired trunk and leg function who compete from a seated position, such as in javelin throw.
What is PSPB and why was it tagged by Hardeep Puri?
PSPB (Petroleum Sports Promotion Board) is the sports wing of India's public-sector oil companies, overseen by the Petroleum Ministry. It provides employment and training support to Indian athletes, including para-athletes.
Where are the Asian Para Games 2026 being held?
The exact host city of the Asian Para Games 2026 is not specified in the available information, but the event is part of the official Asian Para Games cycle organised under the Asian Paralympic Committee .
What did Hardeep Singh Puri say about India's para javelin performance?
Minister Hardeep Singh Puri called it 'another fabulous double podium finish' and extended his 'heartiest congratulations' to both Pradeep Kumar and Ayush Verma on 20 October 2026 .
