CM Samrat Choudhary Hails Praveen Kumar's Para Games Gold
Synopsis
Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary congratulated para-athletes Praveen Kumar (gold) and Bunty (silver) for sweeping the men's T64 high jump podium at the Asian Para Games 2026, calling their achievement a source of national pride and inspiration.
Key Takeaways
Praveen Kumar won gold in the men's high jump T64 category at the Asian Para Games 2026 .
Bunty claimed silver in the same event, giving India a gold-silver podium sweep.
Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary posted congratulations on October 21, 2026 , calling it a matter of national pride.
The T64 classification covers athletes with a leg impairment competing with a running prosthesis.
India won over 100 medals at the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou , setting a strong benchmark for the current cycle.
Two Indian para-athletes cleared the bar and cleared it high enough to write history. Praveen Kumar claimed gold and Bunty took silver in the men's high jump T64 category at the Asian Para Games 2026 — and Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary was among the first to celebrate their feat on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
Posting on X in Hindi, CM Choudhary wrote: 'एशियन पैरा गेम्स 2026 में पुरुषों की हाई जंप T64 स्पर्धा में स्वर्ण पदक जीतने पर प्रवीण कुमार जी एवं रजत पदक अपने नाम करने पर बंटी जी को हार्दिक बधाई।' — 'Heartfelt congratulations to Praveen Kumar for winning gold and to Bunty for winning silver in the men's high jump T64 event at the Asian Para Games 2026.'
He added that their 'hard work, firm resolve, and dedication to sport is a matter of pride for the country,' and that their success 'kindles belief in every Indian who holds the courage to dream big and make those dreams a reality.'
What the T64 category means
The T64 classification covers athletes with a leg impairment who compete using a running prosthesis — a category that demands not just raw athletic ability but extraordinary coordination between body and technology. A gold-silver sweep by two Indian athletes in a single event is a statement of depth, not luck. It signals that India's para-sports pipeline is producing multiple world-class competitors in the same discipline at the same time.
India's rising para-sports arc
The result builds on a trajectory that has been years in the making. At the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, India fielded one of its largest-ever para contingents and returned with over 100 medals — a landmark haul that reshaped expectations at home. The 2026 edition appears to be pushing that benchmark further.
Central and state governments have increasingly used para-athlete milestones as public touchstones, and CM Choudhary's message fits that pattern. But the congratulations carry a pointed subtext: classification-specific coaching, athlete identification programmes, and sustained institutional backing are what turn promising para-athletes into continental champions.
Pride doubles when two flags go up together
A gold and a silver in the same event means the Indian tricolour was raised twice on the same podium. That image — Praveen Kumar on the top step, Bunty on the second — is precisely the kind of moment political leaders and sports administrators point to when making the case for continued investment in para-sport infrastructure. The hashtags #Cheer4Bharat and #AsianParaGames2026 amplify the moment into a wider national conversation.
With the next Paralympic cycle building momentum, performances like these are the data points that shape selection, funding, and ambition. India doesn't just want more para-athletes at the Games — it wants more of them on the podium.
Point of View
Not just individual stars. CM Choudhary's public congratulations follow a well-established pattern of state-level leaders amplifying para-athlete achievements as symbols of inclusive national progress. The timing — mid-Paralympic cycle — also carries strategic weight, reinforcing the case for sustained funding ahead of the next Games. The real measure of intent will come in Bihar's own sports-policy announcements and whether state infrastructure keeps pace with the national ambition these posts project.
NationPress
21 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won gold in men's high jump T64 at the Asian Para Games 2026?
Praveen Kumar won gold in the men's high jump T64 event at the Asian Para Games 2026, with fellow Indian Bunty taking silver in the same event.
What is the T64 classification in para athletics?
The T64 category is for para-athletes with a leg impairment — typically a below-knee amputation — who compete using a running prosthesis in field and track events.
What did Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary say about India's para-athletes?
CM Samrat Choudhary offered 'heartfelt congratulations' to Praveen Kumar and Bunty, calling their hard work and dedication 'a matter of pride for the country' and saying their success inspires every Indian who dares to dream big.
How many medals did India win at the 2023 Asian Para Games?
India won over 100 medals at the 2023 Asian Para Games held in Hangzhou, China — one of the country's largest-ever para-sports hauls at a continental event.
When is the next Paralympic Games after the Asian Para Games 2026?
The Asian Para Games 2026 is part of the build-up cycle toward the next Summer Paralympic Games; athletes use continental events to qualify and fine-tune form ahead of the Paralympics.
