Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, 5 November 2026, met members of India's Para Asian Games 2026 contingent at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi, honouring the athletes who delivered the country's best-ever performance at the Aichi-Nagoya Games in Japan with 114 medals, including 30 gold.

The interaction brought together athletes, coaches, support staff, and officials from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), national sports federations, and the Sports Ministry.

Athletes Present Special Mementoes

Sprinter Simran Sharma, who claimed gold in both the women's 100m and 200m T12 events, presented the Prime Minister with a pair of shoes as a personal memento. Shot putter Sachin Sarjerao, who won gold in the F45/46 category, handed over a shot put ball, symbolising the grit of India's para-athletes on the continental stage.

India's Record-Breaking Campaign at Aichi-Nagoya

India's 97-member para-athlete contingent returned from Aichi-Nagoya, Japan with 30 gold, 35 silver, and 49 bronze medals, surpassing the previous national best of 108 medals (including 27 gold) set at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Para Games in China. This was also the second consecutive edition in which India crossed the 100-medal mark.

Para-athletics led the charge with 65 medals — comprising 22 gold, 19 silver, and 24 bronze. Para-badminton contributed 16 medals (3 gold, 5 silver, 8 bronze), while para-swimming added 11 medals (3 silver, 8 bronze). India also performed strongly in para-archery (6 medals, 3 gold) and shooting (5 medals, 2 gold), and gathered additional medals in para-table tennis (7 bronze), powerlifting (2 silver), and judo (1 silver, 1 bronze).

Standout Performers

Javelin thrower Sumit Antil successfully defended his gold in the men's F42-F44/F61-F64 category and was part of a podium sweep, underscoring India's dominance in the discipline. In shooting, Mona Agarwal won gold in the women's 50m rifle three positions SH1 event with record scores. India also secured two quotas in shooting for the 2028 Summer Paralympics.

At 50 years of age, Jehan Dorab Madan became India's oldest medallist at the Games after winning bronze in para-table tennis — a moment that underlined the breadth of participation across age groups.

Significance for Indian Para-Sports

The Aichi-Nagoya campaign marks a clear upward trajectory for India in para-sports. The medal count has risen consistently across editions, and the two back-to-back triple-digit hauls suggest structural improvement in athlete preparation, federation support, and infrastructure — not merely a one-off. The two Paris 2028 shooting quotas are an early concrete benefit that will carry into the next Paralympic cycle.

As India builds toward the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics, Thursday's interaction at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex signals continued political backing for the para-sports ecosystem — a factor that athletes and officials have repeatedly cited as a catalyst for investment and participation.