Nadda hails India's first para table tennis medal at Asian Para Games 2026
Synopsis
Jehan Dorab Madan and Shubham Wadhwa won bronze in Men's Doubles MD4 at the Asian Para Games 2026, marking India's first-ever medal in this para table tennis event. Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda publicly celebrated the historic achievement on October 23, 2026.
Key Takeaways
Jehan Dorab Madan and Shubham Wadhwa won bronze in Men's Doubles MD4 at Asian Para Games 2026 .
This is India's first-ever medal in this specific para table tennis event at the Asian Para Games.
Union Health Minister J.
Nadda congratulated the duo on October 23, 2026 .
The MD4 classification covers athletes with significant upper or lower limb impairments.
India has participated in the Asian Para Games since the event's inception, with para sports infrastructure gradually improving.
The milestone broadens India's competitive footprint in para table tennis at the continental level.
India has etched its name into para table tennis history. Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda on Friday, October 23, 2026, congratulated Jehan Dorab Madan and Shubham Wadhwa on clinching a bronze medal in the Men's Doubles MD4 category at the Asian Para Games 2026 — a result that registers as India's first-ever podium finish in this particular event.
A milestone that rewrites Indian para table tennis records
The MD4 classification in para table tennis covers athletes with significant impairments affecting their playing arm or lower limbs, making the discipline one of the sport's most demanding categories. For Madan and Wadhwa to not only compete but finish on the podium in a field of Asia's best is a breakthrough that no Indian doubles pair had managed before at the Asian Para Games. The minister called it 'a significant milestone for Indian para table tennis' — and on the record, that description is precise.
India at the Asian Para Games — a steadily rising graph
India has been a consistent participant at the Asian Para Games since the competition's early editions, with each cycle reflecting incremental gains in athlete preparation, classification processes, and institutional backing for para sports. The table tennis programme has historically lagged behind headline disciplines like athletics and shooting in terms of medal returns, which makes this bronze all the more consequential as a signal of expanding depth. Every 'first-ever' medal in a new event broadens the map of where Indian para sport can compete.
Why a Health Minister's congratulations carries weight
It is no coincidence that J. P. Nadda, in his capacity as Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, has been a vocal presence around para-athlete welfare. The intersection of health policy, rehabilitation infrastructure, and elite para-sport performance is direct — the systems that identify, support, and sustain para athletes run through the same administrative corridors his ministry oversees. His public acknowledgement of Madan and Wadhwa amplifies the visibility of para table tennis to a national audience that may have never tracked the discipline before today.
For two athletes who competed at the sharp edge of a continental tournament and came away with bronze, the real prize may be this: a country that is finally paying attention.
Point of View
'firsts' in niche para disciplines serve a dual function: they validate investment in broader athlete-support ecosystems and generate public narrative around inclusive excellence. With the BJP national president and Union Health Minister personally amplifying the result, the signal is clear — para sport visibility is a political and policy priority, not an afterthought. The question now is whether institutional follow-through matches the congratulatory rhetoric.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the bronze medal in para table tennis at Asian Para Games 2026?
Jehan Dorab Madan and Shubham Wadhwa won the bronze medal in Men's Doubles MD4 para table tennis at the Asian Para Games 2026 .
What is the MD4 classification in para table tennis?
The MD4 classification in para table tennis is for athletes who have significant impairments affecting their playing arm or lower limbs, making it one of the sport's most competitive adaptive categories.
Is this India's first medal in para table tennis at the Asian Para Games?
Yes. According to Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda's post on October 23, 2026 , the bronze won by Madan and Wadhwa is India's first-ever medal in the Men's Doubles MD4 event at the Asian Para Games.
Why did J. P. Nadda congratulate para table tennis players?
J. P. Nadda , as Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare and BJP national president , congratulated the athletes to mark the historic milestone and highlight India's growing presence in para sports.
When did India win the para table tennis bronze at Asian Para Games 2026?
The achievement was announced and celebrated on Friday, October 23, 2026 , when Minister J. P. Nadda posted his congratulations on X.
