Nadda hails Swati Chaudhary's historic Asian Para Games silver
Synopsis
Swati Chaudhary claimed silver in Women's W1 Archery on her Asian Para Games debut in 2026, securing India's first-ever medal in the category. Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda celebrated the landmark achievement on X, calling it historic for Indian para archery.
Key Takeaways
Swati Chaudhary won silver in the Women's W1 Archery event at the Asian Para Games 2026 .
It is India's first-ever medal in this category at the Asian Para Games.
Chaudhary achieved this on her debut appearance at the Games.
Union Health Minister J.
Nadda congratulated her on October 22, 2026 , calling it a 'landmark achievement' for Indian para archery.
The W1 category is designed for archers with significant upper and lower limb impairments who compete from a wheelchair.
The result adds to India's growing record of para sports medals at regional multi-sport events.
A debut. A silver medal. And a first-ever podium finish for India in Women's W1 Archery — Swati Chaudhary has just written herself into the record books at the Asian Para Games 2026. Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda took to X on Thursday, October 22, 2026, to offer his congratulations, calling the achievement 'historic' and a 'landmark' for Indian para archery.
Nadda's post read: 'HISTORIC SILVER FOR BHARAT! Heartiest wishes to Swati Chaudhary on winning Silver in the Women's W1 Archery event at #AsianParaGames2026. On her debut, Swati secured India's first-ever medal in this category. A landmark achievement for Indian para archery!'
India's first medal in W1 Archery — what it means
The W1 category is contested by archers with the most significant upper and lower limb impairments — athletes who compete from a wheelchair and draw the bow with limited arm function. Claiming a silver on debut in such a demanding classification is not just a personal milestone for Chaudhary; it is a category-opener for India. No Indian para archer had ever stood on the podium in this event at the Asian Para Games before today.
The Asian Para Games is the continent's premier multi-sport competition for athletes with disabilities, held every four years in tandem with the Asian Games cycle. A medal here carries direct implications for world ranking points and, crucially, for Paralympic qualification pathways in the years ahead.
Para archery's quiet rise in India
India's performance in para sports has grown steadily over the past decade — in disciplines ranging from shooting and athletics to badminton and powerlifting. Archery, however, had remained one of the few frontiers where the para programme lagged behind the able-bodied pipeline. Chaudhary's silver signals that the gap is closing. Invest in the grassroots, and eventually someone breaks through at the continental level — that is exactly what happened today.
With several events still to be contested at the 2026 Asian Para Games, India's para contingent will carry the momentum of this result into the remaining competitions — and into the longer road toward the next Paralympic cycle.
Swati Chaudhary walked into her first Asian Para Games and left with silver. The benchmark has been set; now the task is to build on it.
Point of View
Which has sought to position India as a rising force in both able-bodied and para sports, a 'first-ever' at the continental level offers a politically resonant data point. More substantively, the W1 breakthrough could accelerate institutional support for wheelchair archery — coaching pipelines, classification development, and equipment access — at a moment when the next Paralympic cycle is just beginning to take shape. The real test will be whether this silver becomes the floor of India's W1 ambition, or a ceiling.
NationPress
22 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Swati Chaudhary?
Swati Chaudhary is an Indian para archer who competed in the Women's W1 category at the Asian Para Games 2026, winning a silver medal on her debut — India's first-ever medal in this event.
What is the W1 category in para archery?
The W1 category is for para archers with the most significant upper and lower limb impairments, who compete from a wheelchair and draw the bow with limited arm function. It is one of the most demanding classifications in para archery.
What are the Asian Para Games?
The Asian Para Games is a quadrennial multi-sport competition for athletes with disabilities across Asia, held in alignment with the Asian Games cycle. A strong performance here can contribute to Paralympic qualification.
Why is this silver medal considered historic?
No Indian para archer had ever won a medal in the Women's W1 Archery event at the Asian Para Games before Swati Chaudhary's silver in 2026, making it a first-ever achievement for the country in this category.
What did J. P. Nadda say about Swati Chaudhary's medal?
Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda posted on X calling the achievement 'historic' and a 'landmark for Indian para archery,' extending his 'heartiest wishes' to Chaudhary on the silver medal win.
