Puri hails Kasthuri Rajamani's silver at Asian Para Games 2026
Synopsis
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri congratulated Kasthuri Rajamani on winning a silver medal in the Women's 67kg Para Powerlifting event at the Asian Para Games 2026, tagging the Paralympic Committee of India and the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board.
Key Takeaways
Kasthuri Rajamani won a silver medal in the Women's 67kg Para Powerlifting event at the Asian Para Games 2026 .
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri publicly congratulated her on October 21, 2026 via X.
Puri tagged both the Paralympic Committee of India and the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) , his ministry's own sports body, in the post.
PSPB operates under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and supports para and mainstream athletes across disciplines.
India has a consistent record of podium finishes in para powerlifting at successive Asian Para Games editions.
A silver medal in the Women's 67kg Para Powerlifting event — and Kasthuri Rajamani has just written her name into India's Asian Para Games 2026 story. Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri took to X on Wednesday, October 21, 2026 to offer his congratulations, calling it a 'stellar silver medal' added to India's 'growing tally.'
Rajamani's lift on the big stage
Para powerlifting demands not just raw strength but composure under pressure — and Kasthuri Rajamani delivered both. Her silver-medal finish in the 67kg category at the 2026 Asian Para Games adds to a string of Indian performances that have gradually reshaped the country's standing in the continental para-sport arena. Minister Puri's post also tagged the Paralympic Committee of India (@PCI_IN_Official) and the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (@pspbmedia) — the latter a direct signal of institutional pride, given that PSPB operates under his own Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
PSPB's quiet role in India's para-sport pipeline
The Petroleum Sports Promotion Board has long been one of Indian sport's less-heralded but genuinely consequential patrons, channelling resources toward athletes across disciplines. Its involvement in para sports reflects a broader government push to mainstream competitive support beyond the Olympic pipeline. When a sitting Union Minister personally amplifies an athlete's result and tags his ministry's own sports body, it underscores how institutional backing and public visibility are increasingly seen as two sides of the same coin.
The Paralympic Committee of India, the national apex body for para sports governance, oversees athlete selection and participation in events like the Asian Para Games — a multi-sport competition held among Asian nations that mirrors the structure of the mainstream Asian Games and serves as a crucial proving ground ahead of global para-sport cycles.
India's medal tally at successive Asian Para Games editions has reflected steady growth, with powerlifting consistently producing podium finishes. Rajamani's silver in the 67kg Women's category continues that arc.
Point of View
Not merely a courtesy post. It positions the Petroleum Ministry as a visible stakeholder in India's para-sport success at a time when mainstreaming para athletics into the national sporting identity is a stated government priority. The tagging of PSPB is especially telling: it ties a medal moment directly to a ministry-backed patronage structure, framing government investment in sport as tangibly outcome-linked. As India builds toward future global para-sport cycles, moments like this — amplified at the Cabinet level — help normalise the idea that para athletes deserve the same prime-time attention as their Olympic counterparts.
NationPress
22 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Kasthuri Rajamani?
Kasthuri Rajamani is an Indian para powerlifter who won a silver medal in the Women's 67kg category at the 2026 Asian Para Games, drawing congratulations from Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
What is the Asian Para Games 2026?
The Asian Para Games is a multi-sport competition for para athletes from across Asia, held alongside the broader Asian Games cycle, and serves as a key continental proving ground for para-sport excellence.
What is the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB)?
The Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) is a sports promotion organisation operating under India's Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas that supports athletes across multiple disciplines, including para sports.
What did Hardeep Singh Puri say about Kasthuri Rajamani's medal?
Minister Puri called it a 'stellar silver medal' and said it adds to India's 'growing tally' at the Asian Para Games 2026, offering his 'heartiest congratulations' to the athlete.
What is India's record in para powerlifting at the Asian Para Games?
India has maintained consistent participation in para powerlifting at the Asian Para Games across multiple editions, with the discipline regularly producing podium performances for the country.
