CM Bhupendra Patel Hails India's Gold-Silver Para Shooting Double
Synopsis
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel hailed India's gold-silver sweep in the Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 at Asian Para Games 2026. Mona Agarwal won Gold with a record-breaking score; Avani Lekhara, Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion, claimed Silver — a historic 1-2 finish for Team India.
Key Takeaways
Mona Agarwal won Gold in Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 at Asian Para Games 2026 with a record-breaking performance.
Avani Lekhara won Silver in the same event, giving India a historic 1-2 finish.
Avani Lekhara is the reigning Tokyo 2020 Paralympics Gold medallist in this exact discipline.
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel was among the first leaders to congratulate the duo, calling it 'a fantastic beginning for Team India.' The result marks an early highlight in India's campaign at the Asian Para Games 2026 , the continent's premier para multi-sport event held every four years.
A gold and a silver in a single event — Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel celebrated India's stunning one-two finish in the Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event at the Asian Para Games 2026 on Monday, October 19, calling it 'a fantastic beginning for Team India.'
Mona's record, Avani's silver — the one-two that stunned the range
Mona Agarwal did not just win — she broke a record doing it, claiming Gold in what CM Patel described as a 'record-breaking performance.' Avani Lekhara, who already carries the weight of Olympic gold on her shoulders from Tokyo 2020, stepped onto the podium again, this time with Silver. Two Indian women. One event. The entire podium split between them.
Patel's post captured the national mood: 'A GOLD-SILVER DOUBLE FOR INDIA!' — the capitalisation doing exactly the work it was meant to. For para sports fans, the image of two Indian athletes at the top of the same continental-level event is the kind of result that does not need embellishment.
Avani Lekhara — from Tokyo gold to Asian Para Games silver
Avani Lekhara became a household name when she won Gold at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics in the same 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 discipline — India's first-ever female Paralympic gold medallist. That victory triggered a wave of institutional attention toward para shooting, with training infrastructure and international exposure expanding measurably over the years that followed.
Her Asian Para Games silver is not a step down — it is proof that the depth of Indian para shooting has grown sharply enough that her own teammate now outgunned her. That is a healthy competitive ecosystem, not a disappointment.
India's para shooting arc — from breakthrough to benchmark
India's rise in para shooting at continental and global events over the last decade has been one of the quieter but more consistent sporting success stories. Government support and formal integration into national sports planning have pushed para athletes closer to the infrastructure mainstream. The Asian Para Games, held every four years and with the previous edition in Hangzhou in 2022, serve as the continent's most significant para multi-sport stage — a direct feeder into Paralympic ambition.
A gold-silver sweep on Day 1 of the Games sets both a tone and a standard. The rest of the Indian contingent now walks in with the scoreboard already lit.
Point of View
A Paralympic gold medallist, is now being outshot by a domestic rival is precisely what healthy sports development looks like. For BJP-led governments at the Centre and in states like Gujarat, visible para sports victories carry a dual dividend: they validate increased institutional investment in para athletes and amplify the 'Cheer4Bharat' cultural branding that has become a consistent feature of the ruling party's sporting nationalism. The Asian Para Games result, coming early in the tournament, also sets a benchmark for India's overall medal ambitions at the Games.
NationPress
19 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Gold in Women's 10m Air Rifle SH1 at Asian Para Games 2026?
Mona Agarwal won Gold in the Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event at the Asian Para Games 2026 with a record-breaking performance.
What did Avani Lekhara win at the Asian Para Games 2026?
Avani Lekhara won Silver in the Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event, giving India a gold-silver double in the discipline.
Has Avani Lekhara won at the Paralympics before?
Yes. Avani Lekhara won Gold at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics in the Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 — the same event — becoming India's first female Paralympic gold medallist.
When and where are the Asian Para Games 2026 being held?
The Asian Para Games 2026 are the continent's premier para multi-sport event held every four years. The previous edition was in Hangzhou in 2022 . Specific host city details for 2026 are part of the ongoing Games.
What is the SH1 classification in para shooting?
SH1 is a para shooting classification for athletes who have full use of their shooting arm but have a physical impairment affecting their legs or lower body. Athletes compete while standing or in a wheelchair.
