PT Usha meets OCA chief Sheikh Joaan at Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games reception
Synopsis
IOA president PT Usha was in Aichi-Nagoya for the Asian Games welcome reception, meeting OCA chief Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani as India's contingent hit the ground running — with Quimcy Dsouza already in a Teqball bronze-medal match and the women's cricket team's campaign underway, all before Saturday's opening ceremony.
Key Takeaways
PT Usha met OCA President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani at the official welcome reception for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on 19 September 2026 .
The 110th OCA Executive Board meeting in Nagoya covered upcoming events including Asian Beach Games Cebu 2028 and Asian Winter Games Almaty 2029 .
India's Teqball men's doubles pair of Imran Beg and Gonsalves were eliminated from Group B, losing to Vietnam and South Korea .
Quimcy Joaquim Dsouza reached the women's singles semifinal before losing 1-2 to Indonesia and will play a bronze-medal match against Japan's Sakamoto .
India's women's cricket team has also begun their campaign ahead of the formal opening ceremony on Saturday at Paloma Mizuho Stadium .
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha attended the official welcome reception for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on 19 September 2026, where she met Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani and other members of the Asian sporting community ahead of Saturday's opening ceremony at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium.
Usha's Message at the Reception
Sharing photographs from the gathering on X, Usha described the evening as an opportunity to build bridges with continental sports leadership. 'A wonderful evening connecting with the OCA President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani and the esteemed members of the OCA Family at the official welcome reception. Together, we continue to pave the way for the growth and excellence of sports across Asia,' she wrote.
The reception brought together officials and sporting administrators from across the continent, underscoring the collaborative spirit that underpins multi-sport continental events of this scale.
OCA Executive Board Meeting in Nagoya
Separately, OCA President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani chaired the 110th OCA Executive Board meeting in Nagoya, Japan, ahead of the Games. The agenda covered the roadmap for forthcoming OCA events, including the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games Riyadh 2026, the Asian Beach Games in Cebu 2028, and the Asian Winter Games in Almaty 2029.
India's Early Campaign at the Asiad
Competition at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games began before Saturday's formal opening, with India already in action across Teqball and Cricket. In the men's doubles Teqball, Mohammad Anas Imran Beg and Declan Marshall Gonsalves were eliminated from Group B after losing both matches — going down 0-2 to Vietnam and South Korea.
In the women's singles, Quimcy Joaquim Dsouza topped Group A with victories over Japan's Yuina Sakamoto and Cambodia's Koemyean DY, advancing to the semifinals. She subsequently lost 1-2 to Indonesia's Ima Sumaya and will now contest the bronze-medal match against Sakamoto.
In the mixed doubles, the pair of Quimcy and Imran Beg secured a repechage win and will also compete for bronze. India's women's cricket team has likewise begun their campaign, with the sport among the disciplines getting underway before the official opening ceremony.
What to Watch Next
With the opening ceremony at Paloma Mizuho Stadium scheduled for Saturday, India's full contingent will formally enter the Games. The Teqball mixed doubles bronze match and Quimcy Dsouza's women's singles bronze match will be among the earliest medal opportunities for the Indian camp.
Point of View
The diplomatic optics sit alongside a mixed early scorecard on the field: a Teqball men's doubles exit and a women's singles semifinal loss suggest India's Asiad medal count will depend heavily on its stronger disciplines yet to come. The real story begins when the full contingent marches in on Saturday.
NationPress
19 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who did PT Usha meet at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games welcome reception?
PT Usha met OCA President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani and other members of the Asian sporting community at the official welcome reception ahead of the Asian Games opening ceremony in Aichi-Nagoya .
When is the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games opening ceremony?
The opening ceremony of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games is scheduled for Saturday at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, Japan. Several events, including Teqball and Cricket, are already underway ahead of the ceremony.
How is India performing in Teqball at the Asian Games?
India's results in Teqball have been mixed. The men's doubles pair of Imran Beg and Gonsalves were eliminated from Group B, while Quimcy Dsouza will compete for a women's singles bronze medal. The mixed doubles pair of Quimcy and Imran Beg also advanced to a bronze-medal match via repechage.
What was discussed at the 110th OCA Executive Board meeting?
The 110th OCA Executive Board meeting , chaired by OCA President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani in Nagoya, covered preparations for upcoming continental events — including the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games Riyadh 2026 , the Asian Beach Games Cebu 2028 , and the Asian Winter Games Almaty 2029 .
Is India's women's cricket team competing at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games?
Yes, India's women's cricket team has begun their campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games , with cricket among the sports that started ahead of the official opening ceremony on Saturday.
