Manush Shah and Diya Chitale take mixed doubles bronze for India at Aichi–Nagoya Asian Games
Manush Shah and Diya Chitale won the mixed doubles bronze for India at the Asian Games in Aichi–Nagoya, in a result reported on October 8, 2026. The sixth-seeded Indian pair defeated Hong Kong’s third-seeded Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem in the quarterfinals and were beaten by China’s Wong Chuqin and Sun Yingsha in the semifinals.
In early September, Manush travelled to Mumbai, Diya’s hometown, for four days of focused practice away from selection meetings and administrative distractions; those sessions proved useful when they reached Aichi–Nagoya. The medal was India’s fourth in table tennis at the Asian Games and came amid a build-up that included limited dedicated mixed-doubles camp time and off-table turmoil for the national federation.
Diya reflected on the contrast between her first Asian Games and this one, saying: “Going into my second Asian Games, I think the first one gave me a lot of experience and exposure,” and “Representing the country at a multi-sport event is a very different feeling. It was a great experience in 2023, and I wanted to carry that experience forward.” Expectations had risen after the pair’s qualification for the 2025 WTT Finals placed them among the world’s top-eight pairs and a regular presence in high-level doubles competition.
Manush outlined the tactical differences between disciplines, saying: “In men’s doubles, you expect power from the opponents. The ball really travels and you expect good quality, so you don’t have to manage the front-and-back movement as much,” and adding, “In mixed doubles, it is the opposite. The front-and-back movement becomes really important because the woman on the opposing pair may not be as powerful. They try to play quickly, so the ball can be a little slower and you have to make faster adjustments with your footwork.” On their partnership dynamics he said: “In mixed doubles, Diya is the one with the control and I try to finish the point,” Manush said. “If this works out, then we are already one step ahead of the opponent. That is what the goal is all about in doubles.”
The quarterfinal victory over Wong and Doo secured at least a bronze and shifted Manush and Diya from hopefuls to medallists. India’s recent Asian Games history provided context: the men’s team won bronze in 2018 and Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra also took a mixed-doubles bronze that year, while Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee earned a surprise women’s doubles bronze in Hangzhou.
Their run unfolded against administrative controversy: the selection omission of Manika Batra raised questions about the federation’s process, the Sports Ministry suspended recognition of the Table Tennis Federation of India citing governance issues, and Massimo Costantini’s tenure as India’s foreign expert had expired on May 15; he joined the contingent in Japan only a week before the Asian Games. With limited opportunities for an extended mixed-doubles camp, the partnership had to rely on the understanding built over previous seasons.
Coaching and institutional support underpinned the pair’s development: Manush has trained under Shailesh Gosain in Vadodara while Diya has been coached by Sachin Shetty since she took up the sport more than a decade and a half ago, and Olympic Gold Quest supported them from their junior days. On financial backing, Diya said: “With so many government schemes, the Government helps a lot with the TOPS scheme,” Diya said. “Of course, that also relieves the financial pressure on the parents.” By the time they competed at the Asian Games, they carried the work of that ecosystem with them.
Their win over Wong and Doo guaranteed at least a bronze and ensured India recorded a table tennis medal at a third successive Asian Games; Diya captured the aim succinctly: “We went into the Asian Games aiming for a medal,” Diya said. “And we are thrilled that we have achieved the objective and have brought that medal home.”