India’s record-breaking campaign at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya was driven primarily by its track and field athletes, with para-athletics emerging as the country’s biggest medal-producing discipline.
The Indian contingent finished the continental competition with 114 medals, including 30 gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze, securing fourth place in the overall standings.
Of India’s 114 medals, para-athletes accounted for 65, representing more than half of the country’s overall haul. The discipline contributed 22 gold, 19 silver and 24 bronze medals, underlining India’s strength across track and field events.
The campaign began with a strong showing on 19 October, when Nishad Kumar won gold in the men’s long jump T47 with an effort of 7.11 metres. Soumya claimed the women’s 1500m T12/T13 title, while won the men’s javelin F46 gold medal. Ajeet Singh finished second in the latter event to give India a one-two finish.
Nishad added another gold in the men’s high jump T47, taking his tally to two at the Games. The Tokyo and Paris Paralympic medallist was among India’s most successful athletes in Aichi-Nagoya.
Track events also produced multiple gold medals. won the women’s 400m T20 in 56.36 seconds, while Simran Sharma secured the women’s 200m T12 title. Simran subsequently completed a sprint double by winning the 100m T12 in a Games-record 12.02 seconds.
Dilip Gavit also won gold in the men’s 100m T47, while Mohammed Basil Morssinganakath finished with silver in the event.
India’s success extended across throwing and jumping disciplines, with several athletes producing gold-medal performances.
Sumit Antil, the reigning Paralympic champion, won the men’s javelin throw in the combined F42-F44/F61-F64 final with an effort of 72.46 metres in the T64 category. Mahendra Gurjar and Sandip Sanjay Sargar completed an Indian podium sweep by winning silver and bronze respectively.
Pranav Soorma won the men’s club throw F51 gold with an -record effort of 32.87 metres. He had earlier secured gold in the men’s discus throw F51, producing an Asian-record effort of 11.66 metres.
Sachin Khilari and Ayush Verma also won gold in their respective men’s shot put classifications. Meanwhile, Shailesh Kumar claimed the men’s high jump T63 title, adding another field-event gold to India’s tally.
The performances were not restricted to established names. Haney won the men’s javelin F37/38 gold with a throw of 60.49 metres, setting a world record in the T37 category. Debutant Sandeep secured gold in the men’s 400m T64 in 52.28 seconds, setting a world record in the T44 category. He also won bronze in the 100m T44.
India’s women’s contingent contributed significantly through athletes such as Preeti Pal, who won two silver medals in the 100m and 200m T35 events, and Suvarna Raj, who claimed gold in the women’s discus F54.
The 65-medal return from para-athletics also represented an improvement on India’s 53 medals in the discipline at the 2023 Hangzhou edition.
The contribution of para-athletics was central to India’s final fourth-place finish in Aichi-Nagoya. While para-badminton added 16 medals and para-swimming contributed 11, no other discipline matched athletics’ 65-medal return.
With 22 gold medals alone coming from para-athletics, India’s performances across running, jumping and throwing events formed the backbone of its campaign in Aichi-Nagoya.
