India’s para badminton star Pramod Bhagat and para table tennis player Bhavina Patel have been named the country’s flag-bearers for the opening ceremony of the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
The ceremony will take place on 18 October, with the continental multi-sport event scheduled to run until 24 October.
The duo are Paralympic medallists who have also established themselves as regular podium contenders at the Asian Para Games. Bhagat has won six medals at the continental competition, while Patel has claimed two, taking their combined tally to eight.
is one of India’s most accomplished para badminton players, having won multiple world titles and major international honours. He competes in the men’s SL3 category, which is designated for players with lower-limb impairments that affect their movement and balance on court.
Bhagat won gold in the men’s singles SL3 at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in 2021. The victory established him as a Paralympic champion and added to a career that includes sustained success at world and continental level.
At the , Bhagat has collected six medals across the 2014, 2018 and 2022 editions. His haul includes two gold medals and four bronze medals. He won the men’s singles SL3 title at the 2018 Games in Jakarta and secured another gold in men’s doubles at the 2022 edition in Hangzhou.
His achievements also extend to the BWF Para Badminton World Championships, where he has won multiple singles titles. Bhagat’s experience at major international competitions makes him one of the senior figures in India’s para badminton contingent.
is among India’s leading para table tennis players and rose to international prominence after winning a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
Competing in the women’s singles Class 4 category, Patel reached the final in Tokyo before losing to China’s Ying Zhou. Her silver medal was a landmark result for Indian para table tennis and established her as one of the country’s most prominent athletes in the sport.
Patel has also earned medals at the Asian Para Games. She won silver and bronze across the 2018 and 2022 editions, taking her tally at the continental event to two medals.
Her performances have helped strengthen India’s presence in para table tennis, a sport in which athletes compete in classifications determined by the impact of their impairments on movement and playing ability.
Carrying the Indian flag at the opening ceremony will mark another significant milestone in Patel’s international career, following her Paralympic podium finish and Asian Para Games success.
The fifth Asian Para Games will be held from 18 to 24 October in , Japan, bringing together athletes from across the continent in 18 para-sports disciplines.
India will make its fifth appearance at the event, having finished the 2022 edition in Hangzhou with a record 111 medals, including 29 golds.
