Puri Hails Ashok's Silver in Para Powerlifting at Asian Para Games
Synopsis
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri congratulated para-athlete Ashok on winning the silver medal in Men's −65 kg Para Powerlifting at the Asian Para Games 2026, calling it a 'powerpacked performance' and tagging the moment with #Cheer4Bharat.
Key Takeaways
Ashok won the silver medal in the Men's −65 kg Para Powerlifting event at the Asian Para Games 2026 .
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri posted congratulations on X on 20 October 2026 .
The Asian Para Games is a quadrennial multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities, organised by the Asian Paralympic Committee .
Puri described Ashok's performance as 'powerpacked' and used the hashtag #Cheer4Bharat .
The result adds to India's growing presence in continental para-sport competition.
A silver medal in the Men's −65 kg Para Powerlifting event at the Asian Para Games 2026 — and the congratulations are already pouring in from the top. Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri took to X on Tuesday, 20 October 2026 to celebrate para-athlete Ashok's podium finish, calling it a 'powerpacked performance.'
Ashok's silver on the Para Powerlifting platform
Puri's post captures the moment with brisk pride: 'In a powerpacked performance at the Asian Para Games 2026, our athlete Ashok lifts the Silver Medal in the Men's −65 kg Para Powerlifting.' The −65 kg category is one of the most competitive weight classes in para powerlifting across Asia, where lifters with physical impairments compete on the flat bench, pushing the bar through a full range of motion with their upper body alone. A silver at this level is a statement finish.
What the Asian Para Games mean for Indian sport
The Asian Para Games are organised by the Asian Paralympic Committee and held every four years, mirroring the Asian Games cycle. The event serves as the continent's premier multi-sport platform for athletes with disabilities — and a critical stepping stone toward Paralympic selection and global ranking points. India has steadily expanded its para-sport infrastructure over the past decade, and performances like Ashok's feed directly into that upward curve.
Senior ministers routinely amplify individual para-athlete results on social media, a practice that keeps public attention on a cohort of competitors who have historically received far less spotlight than their able-bodied counterparts. The #Cheer4Bharat hashtag, used by Puri, has become a standard rallying call for Indian sporting moments at international events.
With more events still to run at the Asian Para Games 2026, Ashok's silver opens India's account in para powerlifting — and sets the benchmark every rival in the hall will now have to beat.
Point of View
However brief, is consistent with a pattern of government-level visibility for a cohort of athletes who have long competed in relative obscurity. The steady accumulation of such moments builds both public awareness and political capital around India's disability-sport ecosystem.
NationPress
20 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ashok the para-athlete who won silver at the Asian Para Games 2026?
Ashok is an Indian para-athlete who won the silver medal in the Men's −65 kg Para Powerlifting event at the Asian Para Games 2026. Further biographical details have not been officially released in available sources.
What are the Asian Para Games?
The Asian Para Games are a quadrennial multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities, organised by the Asian Paralympic Committee. They are held alongside the Asian Games cycle and represent the continent's top para-sport competition.
What is Para Powerlifting?
Para Powerlifting is a competitive strength sport in which athletes with physical impairments perform a bench press — lying flat and pushing a loaded barbell through a full range of motion using upper body strength alone. Events are divided into weight categories.
Why did Hardeep Singh Puri post about the Asian Para Games?
As a senior Union Minister and BJP leader, Hardeep Singh Puri regularly uses social media to congratulate Indian athletes at international competitions, reflecting the government's broader effort to raise the profile of para-sport in India.
What is the #Cheer4Bharat hashtag?
#Cheer4Bharat is a popular social-media hashtag used by Indian politicians, officials, and fans to rally public support and celebrate Indian athletes competing at international sporting events.
