Mandaviya hails Bhawna & Pooja's silver in Para Archery
Synopsis
Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated para-archers Bhawna and Pooja on winning silver in Women's Recurve Doubles at the Asian Para Games 2026, hailing the achievement under the #Cheer4Bharat banner.
Key Takeaways
Para-archers Bhawna and Pooja won silver in Women's Recurve Doubles at the Asian Para Games 2026 .
Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya posted his congratulations on X on 23 October 2026 .
The medal places the Indian pair among the top two recurve doubles teams in Asia.
Mandaviya's post used the hashtags #AsianParaGames2026 and #Cheer4Bharat , amplifying the achievement nationally.
India's overall para-sport medal tally at the Games continues to build as events progress.
A silver arrow flies for India. Union Labour and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated para-archers Bhawna and Pooja on Friday, 23 October 2026, after the duo claimed a silver medal in the Women's Recurve Doubles event at the Asian Para Games 2026.
Posting on X with the hashtags #AsianParaGames2026 and #Cheer4Bharat, Mandaviya wrote: 'Heartiest congratulations to Bhawna and Pooja on winning Silver in Women's Recurve Doubles at the Asian Para Games 2026!' The message placed the pair's achievement squarely in the national spotlight.
Recurve Doubles — and what the medal means for Indian para-archery
The Women's Recurve Doubles is a precision team discipline where two archers combine their scores across timed ends, demanding not just individual accuracy but synchronised composure under pressure. A silver at the Asian Para Games — the continent's premier multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities — places Bhawna and Pooja among the top two teams in Asia in their category.
Indian para-archery has steadily grown its continental footprint over successive editions of the Games, and this podium finish adds to that momentum. For the athletes themselves, a medal at this stage can open doors to global classification events and future Paralympic cycles.
Mandaviya's role in amplifying para-sport recognition
Cabinet ministers publicly acknowledging para-sport medals on social media has become a consistent feature of India's sports communication strategy. For Mandaviya, who holds the Youth Affairs and Sports portfolio alongside Labour, such posts are both a congratulatory gesture and a signal of institutional support — reinforcing that para athletes occupy the same stage as their able-bodied counterparts in official recognition.
With the Asian Para Games 2026 still unfolding, India's overall medal tally and the performances of other para-athletes remain in focus. Every podium adds to the national count — and to the argument that investment in para-sport infrastructure is paying off.
Two archers, one silver, and a nation watching. The question now is how many more arrows India has left to fire.
Point of View
Mandaviya ties individual medals to a larger national-pride narrative that the Sports Ministry has cultivated consistently. The gesture also signals institutional backing for recurve archery as a discipline, which could influence future funding and training priorities. For para athletes, ministerial visibility at this level is both recognition and leverage.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Bhawna and Pooja in the Asian Para Games 2026?
Bhawna and Pooja are Indian para-archers who won a silver medal in the Women's Recurve Doubles event at the Asian Para Games 2026, earning public congratulations from Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
What is the Women's Recurve Doubles event in para archery?
The Women's Recurve Doubles is a team archery discipline where two athletes shoot recurve bows and combine their scores, requiring both individual precision and coordinated teamwork under timed conditions.
What did Mansukh Mandaviya say about India's Asian Para Games 2026 medal?
Mandaviya posted 'Heartiest congratulations to Bhawna and Pooja on winning Silver in Women's Recurve Doubles at the Asian Para Games 2026!' on X, tagging the achievement under #Cheer4Bharat.
Where are the Asian Para Games 2026 being held?
The specific host city of the Asian Para Games 2026 has not been confirmed in available reports, but the Games are the continent's premier multi-sport competition for athletes with disabilities.
How is India performing at the Asian Para Games 2026?
India's medal tally at the Asian Para Games 2026 is still accumulating as events continue. The silver by Bhawna and Pooja in Women's Recurve Doubles is among the confirmed podium finishes for the country.
