CM Saini Hails India's 1-2-3 Sweep in Asian Para Games High Jump
Synopsis
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini celebrated India's historic 1-2-3 sweep of all three High Jump medals at the Asian Para Games 2026, congratulating Shailesh Kumar (gold), Varun Bhati (silver), and Rahul Saroa (bronze) for flying the tricolour atop the entire podium.
Key Takeaways
India swept all three medals — gold, silver, and bronze — in the Men's High Jump at the Asian Para Games 2026 .
Shailesh Kumar won gold, Varun Bhati won silver, and Rahul Saroa won bronze in the event.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini congratulated all three athletes by name on October 23, 2026 .
Varun Bhati is one of India's most experienced para high jumpers, with a record spanning multiple Asian Para Games editions.
The clean sweep reflects India's growing depth in para athletics and rising official recognition of para-sport achievements.
A clean sweep. Gold, silver, and bronze — all three High Jump medals at the Asian Para Games 2026 went to India in a single, flag-draped moment that lit up the podium in tricolour. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini marked the occasion on Friday, October 23, 2026, with a heartfelt congratulation to the three athletes who made it happen.
Posting in Hindi, CM Saini wrote: 'स्वर्ण, रजत और कांस्य… तीनों पदक भारत के नाम!' — 'Gold, silver, and bronze… all three medals in India's name!' He singled out Shailesh Kumar for gold, Varun Bhati for silver, and Rahul Saroa for bronze, adding that seeing all three raise the tricolour together on the podium filled him with pride.
Three athletes, one podium, one flag
A 1-2-3 sweep in any event at a multi-nation Games is rare. In para athletics, where margins are hard-won against elite competition from across Asia, it is a statement of collective depth. The Men's High Jump final at these Games did not just produce a champion — it produced a moment where no other nation could get near the top step, the second step, or the third.
Varun Bhati is among India's most recognised para high jumpers, having competed across multiple editions of the Asian Para Games. His silver here adds another chapter to a career built on consistency at the highest level. Shailesh Kumar's gold and Rahul Saroa's bronze complete a podium that will be remembered as one of the landmark images of India's para-sport journey.
Para sport's rising place in India's national conversation
The congratulations from a sitting Chief Minister — unprompted, detailed, naming each athlete individually — reflects a shift in how Indian officialdom treats para sport. For years, Paralympic and para-Asian Games medallists received a fraction of the public recognition given to able-bodied counterparts. That gap has been narrowing. Politicians across parties now routinely celebrate para-athletes by name, in public, at scale.
Haryana itself has a particular stake in the story: the state has produced a disproportionate share of India's elite athletes, and its political leaders have long cultivated the sports-pride narrative. CM Saini's post closes with a blessing — 'मेरी शुभकामनाएँ सदैव आपके साथ हैं' ('My best wishes are always with you') — and a challenge: keep delivering moments of glory for the country.
When a podium looks like a flag, the sport wins. India just did exactly that.
Point of View
But a pipeline. CM Saini's individually named, publicly posted congratulation is itself part of a deliberate political pattern: Haryana has staked its identity on sporting excellence, and its leadership knows the visibility dividend of owning such moments. More broadly, the post reflects India's evolving para-sport ecosystem, where elite performance is increasingly matched by institutional and political recognition — a virtuous cycle that feeds recruitment, funding, and ambition for the next generation of para-athletes.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won gold in Men's High Jump at Asian Para Games 2026?
Shailesh Kumar won the gold medal in the Men's High Jump at the Asian Para Games 2026, with India also taking silver (Varun Bhati) and bronze (Rahul Saroa).
What did CM Nayab Singh Saini say about the Asian Para Games 2026?
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini congratulated Shailesh Kumar, Varun Bhati, and Rahul Saroa for sweeping all three High Jump medals, saying seeing all three on the podium with the tricolour filled him with pride.
Did India sweep the podium at Asian Para Games 2026 High Jump?
Yes. India won gold, silver, and bronze — all three medals — in the Men's High Jump at the Asian Para Games 2026, making it a complete podium sweep.
When did India win the High Jump medals at Asian Para Games 2026?
The congratulatory post by CM Saini was made on October 23, 2026 , following India's 1-2-3 finish in the Men's High Jump at the Asian Para Games 2026.
