India swept the podium in the Men's High Jump T64 event at the Asian Para Games 2026, with Praveen Kumar defending his gold medal by setting a new Games Record of 2.05 metres and Banti claiming silver with a personal best of 1.92 metres — a stunning double podium finish that drew immediate recognition from Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy.

Praveen's record-breaking gold and Banti's personal-best silver

Praveen Kumar is no stranger to the Asian Para Games podium, and in 2026 he raised the bar — literally. His clearance of 2.05m didn't just earn him gold; it broke the existing Games Record for the T64 classification, a category for athletes with limb deficiencies affecting a single leg. That is the mark of a champion defending a title with authority, not caution.

Banti matched the moment. His leap of 1.92m — a personal best — secured silver and ensured India owned both the top two steps of the podium. Two athletes, two career-defining jumps, one unforgettable afternoon for Indian para-athletics.

India's growing footprint in para-athletics at Asian Games

India has been a consistent participant in the Asian Para Games since the inaugural edition in Guangzhou in 2010, but the ambition and medal haul have grown with every cycle. The T64 high jump double podium is part of a broader pattern: Indian para-athletes increasingly arriving not just to compete but to dominate in their classifications. It is a shift that reflects years of structured training, improved classification awareness, and greater institutional support.

Kishan Reddy's post captured the national mood — calling out both a 'record-breaking performance by Praveen and a personal best by Banti,' and expressing hope that they 'continue to excel on the international stage and bring many more laurels to the nation.' Across political portfolios, Indian ministers have made a habit of amplifying para-sport wins on social media, a small but meaningful signal that these victories belong in the national conversation, not a footnote.

What a T64 Games Record at 2.05m actually means

The T64 classification covers athletes who use a running prosthesis and have an impairment in one leg. Clearing 2.05 metres under those conditions is an elite athletic feat by any measure. A Games Record means no athlete in this category, across all previous editions of the Asian Para Games, has cleared higher. That is the kind of benchmark that travels beyond one tournament — it enters the record books and sets the standard for a generation of para high jumpers across the continent.