Puri hails Sheetal Devi & Toman Kumar's Para Games gold
Synopsis
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri congratulated para-archers Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar after they won gold in the Para Compound Mixed Team event at the 2026 Asian Para Games, hailing their teamwork and dedication as a source of national pride.
Key Takeaways
Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar won gold in the Para Compound Mixed Team event at the 2026 Asian Para Games .
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri publicly celebrated the win on X on 22 October 2026 .
The Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) , under Puri's ministry, has long supported Indian athletes across multiple disciplines.
The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) oversees India's participation in international para-sport competitions.
India has steadily increased its Asian Para Games medal tally since the early 2010s , reflecting stronger athlete development pipelines.
Gold in para-archery — and a nation stops to applaud. Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri took to X on Thursday, 22 October 2026 to celebrate Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar after the pair claimed the top podium in the Para Compound Mixed Team event at the 2026 Asian Para Games, adding another gold to India's growing medal tally at the quadrennial Games.
Puri's post captured the mood of the moment: 'Another fantastic Gold added to India's medal tally! What a moment! Huge congratulations to Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar on their golden triumph in Para Compound Mixed Team at #AsianParaGames2026! Their incredible teamwork and determination have made the nation proud!'
Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar's golden arrow
The Para Compound Mixed Team event demands near-perfect synchrony — two athletes, one shared target, no room for error. Sheetal Devi has been one of Indian para-archery's most watched names in recent years, while Toman Kumar brought complementary firepower to the pair's campaign. Together, they delivered the kind of performance that earns standing ovations in the stands and congratulations from cabinet ministers in Delhi.
PSPB's quiet role behind para-sport success
Puri's ministry is not a passive cheerleader here. The Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB), which operates under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, has for decades channelled resources into multiple sports disciplines across India, providing employment, training support, and competitive pathways for elite athletes. The Board's backing has helped a number of para athletes sustain professional careers that would otherwise be difficult to maintain.
The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), tagged in Puri's post, selects and fields India's contingent at international para-sport events and has overseen a steady rise in the country's Asian Para Games medal count since the early 2010s. That upward curve — more athletes, more disciplines, more podiums — is exactly the story the 2026 edition continues to write.
India's rising para-sport arc at the Asian Para Games
The Asian Para Games, organised by the Asian Paralympic Committee, serve as both a proving ground and a statement of intent for the region's para athletes. For India, successive editions have brought expanding contingents and improving medal tallies, reflecting better grassroots identification, stronger centralised training, and growing institutional investment. Each gold won here carries weight far beyond the scoreboard — it signals that the pipeline from discovery to podium is working.
With medal events still remaining on the 2026 Asian Para Games calendar, India's athletes have every reason — and momentum — to keep the tricolour flying.
Point of View
Signalling that achievements beyond mainstream cricket register at the highest political level. Puri's specific mention of the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board's broader sporting role is a subtle reminder of the ministry's institutional stake in athlete welfare. The steady improvement in India's Asian Para Games performance reflects a policy shift toward structured para-athlete pipelines, not just one-off talent. Continued gold finishes in 2026 will add pressure on government to translate goodwill tweets into sustained infrastructure commitments.
NationPress
22 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar?
Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar are Indian para-archers who won gold in the Para Compound Mixed Team event at the 2026 Asian Para Games . Sheetal Devi has been one of the most prominent names in Indian para-archery in recent years.
What is the Para Compound Mixed Team event?
The Para Compound Mixed Team event is a para-archery discipline in which a male and female athlete compete together as a pair, shooting at a shared target in a head-to-head format against opposing teams.
What is the Asian Para Games?
The Asian Para Games is a quadrennial multi-sport competition for para athletes across Asia, organised by the Asian Paralympic Committee . It serves as a major qualifying and showcase event for para athletes in the region.
What is the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board?
The Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) operates under India's Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and supports elite athletes across multiple sports disciplines by providing employment, training resources, and competitive exposure.
How has India performed at the Asian Para Games over the years?
India has steadily expanded both its contingent size and its medal tally at the Asian Para Games since the early 2010s , reflecting improved grassroots identification, centralised training programmes, and growing institutional support for para-athletes.
