New Delhi: India ended its Asian Para Games campaign with a record 114 medals, including 30 gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze, following a remarkable final day on Friday. The performance surpassed the country’s previous best of 108 medals, achieved at the 2023 Hangzhou Games, despite India fielding a much smaller contingent this time.
The 168 member Indian contingent secured nine gold medals on the final day, its highest single day tally of the competition. India finished fourth in the standings, although the final position remained subject to the outcome of Saturday’s remaining events.
Athletics emerged as India’s biggest medal winning sport, contributing 65 medals, 12 more than the tally recorded in Hangzhou. Badminton, shooting and archery also played major roles in the country’s historic campaign.
Paris Paralympic champion Nitesh Kumar defeated compatriot Pramod Bhagat 21-18, 21-16 to win the men’s singles SL3 gold. Nitesh later partnered Thulasimathi Murugesan to claim silver in mixed doubles SL3-SU5.
Games debutant Naveen Sivakumar secured the men’s singles SL4 title after defeating Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan 21-9, 21-17. Thulasimathi added women’s doubles SL3-SU5 gold alongside Manasi Joshi, with the Indian pair beating China’s Yang Qiuxia and Xiao Zuxian 21-16, 21-13.
Thulasimathi finished with one gold and two silver medals after also taking silver in women’s singles SU5.
Sandeep clocked 52.28 seconds to win the men’s 400m T64 gold, while Haney set a world record of 60.49 metres in the men’s javelin F37/38 event.
Paralympic and world champion Sumit Antil led an Indian sweep in the men’s javelin F42-44/61-64 combined event with a throw of 72.46 metres. Mahendra Gurjar and Sanjay Sandeep Sargar completed the podium.
Wheelchair athlete Pranav Soorma won the men’s club throw gold with a Games record of 32.87 metres.
Para shooter Mona Agarwal produced a world record score of 357.5 points to win gold in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 event. It was her second gold of the Games, following victory in the 10m air rifle standing SH1 event.
Paralympic champion Harvinder Singh and debutant Vijay Sundi won men’s doubles recurve archery gold, defeating China’s Yun Duo and Zhao Lixue 5-1. India’s women’s doubles pair of Bhawna Choudhary and Pooja Jatyan secured silver.
India’s swimming contingent finished with 11 medals, including three silver. Himanshu Nandal completed a hat trick of bronze medals with a third place finish in the men’s 100m freestyle S11, adding to his earlier podium finishes in the 400m freestyle and 100m breaststroke.
The record medal haul highlighted India’s growing strength in para sports, with athletes delivering outstanding performances across multiple disciplines.
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