India's para badminton ace Pramod Bhagat claimed a gold and a silver medal at the Japan Para Badminton International 2026 in Tokyo, while teammate Sukant Kadam achieved a landmark 100 career medals during the same tournament on 13 September 2026. The twin achievements underlined India's growing dominance in para badminton on the international circuit.

Pramod Bhagat's Gold in Men's Singles SL3

Pramod Bhagat delivered a commanding display in the Men's Singles SL3 final, defeating compatriot U Kumar 21-16, 21-08 to take the top prize. Despite conceding an early lead to Kumar, Pramod steadied his game and seized control once he found his rhythm, pulling away with authority in both sets.

He also stepped onto the doubles court, pairing with Sukant Kadam in the Men's Doubles SL3-SU5 event. The Indian pair pushed hard but ultimately fell to Indonesia's Hikmat Ramdani and Fredy Setiawan, settling for a silver medal.

Speaking after his victories, Pramod said: 'I am very happy to finish the tournament with a gold and a silver. The singles final was challenging, especially after U Kumar got the early lead, but I stayed patient and focused on my game. Once I found my rhythm, I was able to take control. The doubles result was not what we wanted, but I am proud of the fight we showed. Every international tournament is an opportunity to learn and improve, and I will take the positives from Japan.'

Sukant Kadam Reaches 100 Career Medals

Sukant Kadam etched his name into the record books at Tokyo, completing 100 career medals across international para badminton competitions — a milestone he described as the product of 12 years of sustained effort. The landmark arrived alongside a silver medal in the Men's Doubles SL3-SU5 and a silver medal in the Men's Singles SL4 category at the same tournament.

In the Men's Singles SL4 final, Sukant faced France's Lucas Mazur, who raced ahead with a dominant 21-08 opening game. Sukant responded with a much sharper second game but could not complete the turnaround, losing 21-16 in the second set to hand Mazur the gold.

Reflecting on his milestone, Sukant said: 'Reaching 100 career medals is a very special moment for me. When I started playing para badminton 12 years ago, I never imagined that I would reach this milestone. There have been many ups and downs, victories and defeats, but every match has taught me something. I am grateful to everyone who has supported me throughout this journey. At the same time, I don't want to look at 100 as the finish line. It motivates me to keep working harder and aim for many more achievements for India.'

India's Broader Performance at Tokyo

Beyond Bhagat and Kadam, several other Indian shuttlers turned in strong showings across categories at the Japan Para Badminton International 2026, contributing to what has been a consistent haul for the Indian contingent at the Tokyo event. This comes amid a broader push by Indian para athletes to maintain medal momentum following a landmark Paralympic cycle.

What's Next for India's Para Badminton Stars

Both Pramod Bhagat and Sukant Kadam will look to carry this form into upcoming international events on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Para circuit. With Pramod signalling an intent to keep learning from every outing and Sukant setting his sights well beyond the 100-medal mark, Indian para badminton's medal pipeline shows no signs of slowing.