Nadda hails Akira Banothu's Silver at Asian Para Games 2026
Synopsis
Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda celebrated para-athlete Akira Nandan Banothu's silver medal in the Men's 400m T35/T38 at the Asian Para Games 2026, praising his record-breaking debut timing of 51.25 seconds as a proud national achievement.
Key Takeaways
Akira Nandan Banothu won the Silver Medal in the Men's 400m T35/T38 event at the Asian Para Games 2026 .
His winning time of 51.25 seconds was described by Union Health Minister J.
Nadda as a 'record-breaking debut.' The T35/T38 classification covers athletes with coordination and balance impairments, making the result a significant athletic feat.
India sent over 300 athletes to the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou and won 111 medals , reflecting a strong para-sport pipeline.
Banothu's medal adds to India's rising profile in Asian para-athletics ahead of the 2028 Paralympic Games .
A para-athlete from India has etched his name into the record books. Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, congratulated Akira Nandan Banothu on clinching the Silver Medal in the Men's 400m T35/T38 event at the Asian Para Games 2026, clocking an impressive 51.25 seconds — a debut the minister described as 'record-breaking.'
Nadda wrote: 'A RECORD-BREAKING DEBUT FOR AKIRA! Congratulations to Akira Nandan Banothu on winning the Silver Medal in the Men's 400m T35/T38 event at the Asian Para Games 2026 with an impressive timing of 51.25 seconds. He has demonstrated remarkable talent and determination. The entire nation celebrates his outstanding achievement.'
51.25 seconds and a silver that signals a future star
The T35/T38 classification covers athletes with conditions affecting coordination, balance, or muscle power — competitors who conquer not just opponents on the track but the mechanical complexity of their own movement. Running the 400m in 51.25 seconds in that category is a statement of extraordinary athleticism. For Banothu, described as making his debut on the Asian Para stage, the silver marks an arrival rather than a ceiling.India's growing force in Asian para-sport
The achievement fits a larger, accelerating story. India sent over 300 athletes to the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, returning home with a landmark haul of 111 medals — a sign of deepening investment in para-sport infrastructure and coaching. Each podium finish since then has added weight to the argument that India's para-athletics pipeline is no longer a footnote; it is a headline. Banothu's silver in 2026 is the latest data point in that upward curve.Official visibility that now matches the moment
Indian ministers marking individual para-sport victories on social media has become a deliberate, consistent practice over the past decade — a shift from an era when para-athletes won medals in near silence. When a Union Cabinet minister with a national platform calls out a specific athlete's name, timing, and event category, it signals institutional recognition that travels well beyond a congratulatory post. For Banothu, the spotlight is now national. The 2028 Paralympic Games loom as the next great stage — and on this evidence, India will be watching him closely.Point of View
Decade-long pattern of senior ministers publicly amplifying para-athlete victories — a shift that reflects both political messaging around inclusion and genuine policy investment in para-sport. The specificity here, naming the event category, the exact timing, and calling it a 'record-breaking debut,' signals that para-athletics is now accorded the same high-visibility treatment as mainstream sport. With the 2028 Paralympics on the horizon, athletes like Banothu are likely to become central figures in India's international sporting diplomacy. The broader arc points to continued state patronage and rising public interest in para-sport as a national pride story.
NationPress
21 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Akira Nandan Banothu?
Akira Nandan Banothu is an Indian para-athlete who won the Silver Medal in the Men's 400m T35/T38 event at the Asian Para Games 2026 with a timing of 51.25 seconds, earning national recognition for a record-breaking debut.
What is the T35/T38 classification in para-athletics?
The T35/T38 classification covers athletes who have coordination and balance impairments, such as those resulting from conditions like cerebral palsy. These athletes compete in track events adapted to their functional abilities.
What did JP Nadda say about Akira Banothu?
Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda praised Banothu on social media, calling his silver medal a 'record-breaking debut' and noting that 'the entire nation celebrates his outstanding achievement.'
How has India performed at the Asian Para Games recently?
India sent over 300 athletes to the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou and won 111 medals, marking one of the country's strongest-ever showings at the event and reflecting a growing para-sport infrastructure.
What is the Asian Para Games?
The Asian Para Games is a multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities across Asia, held every four years and organised by the Asian Paralympic Committee. It serves as a major qualifying and visibility platform ahead of the Paralympic Games.
