Nadda hails Pramod Bhagat's Silver at Asian Para Games 2026
Synopsis
Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda praised TOPS-supported para-badminton star Pramod Bhagat for winning silver in Men's Singles SL3 at the Asian Para Games 2026, highlighting the champion's enduring legacy and the government's commitment to para-sport excellence.
Key Takeaways
Pramod Bhagat won silver in the Men's Singles SL3 event at the Asian Para Games 2026 .
Union Health Minister J.
Nadda publicly congratulated Bhagat on October 23, 2026 .
Bhagat competes as a TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme) athlete, supported under the government's elite-athlete framework.
TOPS was launched in 2014 and was later expanded to include para athletes alongside able-bodied Olympic prospects.
The Asian Para Games is a quadrennial multi-sport event for Asian para athletes organised by the Asian Paralympic Committee .
Bhagat is a multiple Paralympic and World Championship medallist competing in the SL3 category for athletes with lower-limb impairment.
A silver medal that speaks louder than most golds — Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda on Friday, October 23 congratulated para-badminton star Pramod Bhagat on clinching silver in the Men's Singles SL3 event at the Asian Para Games 2026, calling the feat a match for the champion's storied legacy.
Nadda, who also serves as BJP national president, noted that Bhagat competes under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) — the government's flagship elite-athlete support programme — and praised his 'dedication and perseverance' as a continuing source of national inspiration.
Who is Pramod Bhagat — and why this medal matters
Pramod Bhagat is one of India's most decorated para-badminton players, a multiple Paralympic and World Championship medallist competing in the SL3 category — reserved for athletes with lower-limb impairment who compete standing. His career arc has made him a benchmark figure for Indian para sport over the past decade.
His inclusion under TOPS reflects a deliberate policy shift: since its launch in 2014, the scheme has steadily folded para athletes into the same performance-linked financial and training framework used for able-bodied Olympic hopefuls — a structural change that advocates credit for India's improving medal tallies at continental and global para events.
TOPS and the quiet revolution in Indian para sports
The Target Olympic Podium Scheme, run by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, provides stipends, international exposure, equipment, and access to foreign coaches for identified medal prospects. Para athletes were formally brought into this ecosystem mid-decade, signalling that the podium ambitions of the Indian state are no longer exclusively able-bodied.
The Asian Para Games — a quadrennial event organised by the Asian Paralympic Committee — serves as a critical competitive platform between Paralympic cycles, allowing athletes like Bhagat to sharpen form, accumulate ranking points, and stay in the global conversation.
A silver on that stage, for an athlete of Bhagat's standing, is not a near-miss — it is a statement that the pipeline is working.
Point of View
It reinforces the government's narrative that structured state investment in para sport is directly producing podium results. The Asian Para Games, sandwiched between Paralympic cycles, have become a proving ground where that investment is most visibly audited. Bhagat's continued competitiveness at the elite level also signals that India's para-badminton depth is real, not dependent on a single golden era. The broader arc points toward a sports ministry that will likely use results like this to justify further expansion of TOPS coverage and para-sport infrastructure funding.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Pramod Bhagat?
Pramod Bhagat is an Indian para-badminton player who competes in the SL3 category, which is for athletes with lower-limb impairment who play standing. He is a multiple Paralympic and World Championship medallist and one of India's most decorated para athletes.
What is the SL3 category in para badminton?
SL3 stands for Standing Lower 3, a para badminton classification for athletes with significant lower-limb impairment who compete in a standing position. It is one of several categories governed by the Badminton World Federation's para-sport classification system.
What is the TOPS scheme in India?
The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) is a Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports initiative launched in 2014 to identify and financially support elite Indian athletes — including para athletes — who are medal prospects for the Olympics and Paralympics.
What are the Asian Para Games?
The Asian Para Games are a quadrennial multi-sport event for para athletes from across Asia, organised by the Asian Paralympic Committee. They serve as a major continental competition platform between Paralympic Games cycles.
Why did J. P. Nadda congratulate Pramod Bhagat?
As Union Health Minister and a senior government figure, J. P. Nadda congratulated Pramod Bhagat on winning the silver medal in Men's Singles SL3 at the Asian Para Games 2026, recognising his achievement and his status as a TOPS-supported national athlete.
