CM Fadnavis Hails Manasi Joshi's Asian Para Games 2026 Gold
Synopsis
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis celebrated Manasi Joshi and Thulasimathi Murugesan's gold medal in Women's Doubles SL3-SU5 Para Badminton at the Asian Para Games 2026, calling their win a reflection of determination, resilience, and sporting excellence.
Key Takeaways
Manasi Joshi and Thulasimathi Murugesan won gold in the Women's Doubles SL3–SU5 Para Badminton event at the Asian Para Games 2026 .
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis publicly congratulated both athletes on 23 October 2026 .
Manasi Joshi is a Maharashtra-based para badminton player with a strong record at international competitions.
The SL3–SU5 classification pairing demands cross-impairment coordination, making the doubles gold especially competitive.
State leaders amplifying para athletes' victories is an established pattern that helps build mainstream visibility and policy momentum for para sports in India.
A golden smash for India. Manasi Joshi and her partner Thulasimathi Murugesan clinched the top podium in the Women's Doubles SL3–SU5 Para Badminton event at the Asian Para Games 2026, and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was among the first to celebrate the moment on Friday, 23 October 2026.
The winning pair and what they conquered
Manasi Joshi, the Maharashtra-born para badminton star, teamed up with Thulasimathi Murugesan in the mixed-classification Women's Doubles final — a category that pairs athletes across the SL3 and SU5 impairment classifications, demanding a rare combination of adaptability and coordination. The gold is a testament to both athletes' preparation and composure on the continental stage.
CM Fadnavis described their triumph as reflecting 'the spirit of determination, resilience and sporting excellence,' extending his 'heartiest congratulations' to both champions and wishing them 'continued success and many more victories ahead.'
Manasi Joshi: Maharashtra's para badminton torchbearer
Manasi Joshi has long been one of Indian para badminton's most recognisable faces, carrying the state's flag at international competitions across multiple years. Her journey — built on relentless training and a refusal to let physical adversity define her limits — has made her a symbol of what para sport can represent at its best.
The Asian Para Games, held across Asia's leading para-sport calendar, serves as a critical qualifying and visibility platform for athletes eyeing global competitions. A gold here carries both competitive weight and enormous symbolic value.
Why state leaders spotlighting para athletes matters
Indian state governments and political leaders have increasingly used social media congratulations as a tool to build mainstream visibility for para sports — an arena that historically received far less public and commercial attention than able-bodied counterparts. When a Chief Minister amplifies a para athlete's victory to millions of followers, it nudges sponsorship conversations, school programmes, and government recognition schemes into motion.
For Maharashtra, a state with a competitive sporting infrastructure, this gold adds to a growing para-sport narrative that administrators and coaches in the state have been quietly building.
Two athletes, one gold, and a nation watching — the next question is what Maharashtra does to make sure this podium is a beginning, not just a headline.
Point of View
Detailed congratulation — naming the event category and both athletes — signals that Maharashtra is keen to associate its brand with para-sport achievement, not just headline able-bodied tournaments. Politically, spotlighting a Maharashtra athlete on a continental stage reinforces the state government's sporting-excellence narrative ahead of potential budget allocations for para infrastructure. The broader arc here is India's gradual mainstreaming of para sports: each high-profile gold nudges media coverage, sponsor interest, and government recognition schemes a step further. The real test is whether this social-media warmth converts into sustained institutional support for Joshi, Murugesan, and the hundreds of para athletes training in far less visible circumstances.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Manasi Joshi?
Manasi Joshi is a para badminton player from Maharashtra who has represented India at multiple international competitions, becoming one of the country's most prominent para athletes in the sport.
What did Manasi Joshi win at the Asian Para Games 2026?
Manasi Joshi and her partner Thulasimathi Murugesan won the gold medal in the Women's Doubles SL3–SU5 Para Badminton event at the Asian Para Games 2026.
What is the SL3–SU5 classification in para badminton?
SL3 and SU5 are impairment classifications in para badminton — SL3 refers to athletes with lower-limb impairment who play standing, while SU5 refers to athletes with upper-limb impairment. A doubles pairing across these categories is a mixed-classification format.
What is the Asian Para Games 2026?
The Asian Para Games 2026 is a multi-sport continental event for para athletes from across Asia, serving as a major qualifying and visibility platform for athletes targeting global competitions.
Why did Devendra Fadnavis congratulate Manasi Joshi?
As Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis congratulated Manasi Joshi because she is a Maharashtra-based athlete whose gold medal at the Asian Para Games 2026 brings recognition to the state and the nation.
