Modi greets India’s Asian Para Games medallists after record 114-medal haul

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met India's medal winners from the recently concluded Asian Para Games in Japan and congratulated them on a record-breaking campaign, saying their struggles and achievements had become an inspiration for the country. He spoke to athletes who returned from the Aichi-Nagoya Games and praised the scale of their success.

India returned from the Aichi-Nagoya Games with its best-ever total of 114 medals — 30 gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze — from a contingent of 168 athletes, with 97 Indian para-athletes contributing to the haul. The meeting was attended by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Minister of State for Sports Raksha Khadse, and included double gold-medallist Sheetal Devi and visually impaired sprinter Simran among those present.

Modi contrasted the 2026 performance with India’s showing at the 2010 Asian Para Games, when the country won 14 medals including one gold, and asked rhetorically, "Who would have thought of this journey from 14 to 114?" He added, "This is the result of your hard work, your dedication towards the sport, and the entire ecosystem that has been developed." India's 114 medals surpassed the previous best of 108 from the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou.

The Prime Minister noted five world records and nine Asian records set by Indian athletes in Nagoya and flagged the role of women in the campaign, saying, "Out of the 111 medal winners, 34 are daughters." He underlined the productivity of the final day, when India collected nine gold medals to push the overall tally beyond the earlier record, and told the athletes, "It felt like you hadn't just decided to win, but as long as the Games were ongoing, stopping the streak of winning medals was simply not an option!"

Para-athletics supplied the bulk of the medals, contributing 65 overall, including 22 golds. Sumit Antil won gold in the men's javelin throw F42-44/61-64 combined event with a best effort of 72.46 metres, with Mahendra Gurjar and Sanjay Sandeep Sargar joining him on the podium. Sandeep set a world record in the men's 400m T64 final with a time of 52.28 seconds, Haney produced a world-record throw of 60.49 metres to win the men's javelin F37/38 event, and Pranav Soorma recorded a Games record in the men's club throw.

Para-badminton accounted for 16 medals, including three golds, with Nitesh Kumar defeating compatriot Pramod Bhagat 21-18, 21-16 in the men's singles SL3 final and Naveen Sivakumar claiming the men's singles SL4 title. Thulasimathi Murugesan finished the tournament with three medals, one of them gold in women's doubles alongside Manasi Joshi.

Shooting produced a standout performance from Mona Agarwal, who set a world record score of 357.5 to win the women's 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 event and secured her second gold of the competition. In archery, Sheetal Devi took two gold medals, while Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi won the men's doubles recurve title.

Modi credited improvements in India’s sporting ecosystem for the results, recalling the pre-2014 situation of inadequate facilities, limited resources and a lack of transparency and saying, "People used to say, 'Nothing will ever change in this system,' and accepted it as destiny. We decided we wouldn't let the dreams of our youth be crushed and stopped from moving forward. We resolved to change the entire system itself." He pointed to the expansion of Khelo India centres and other support measures for para-athletes, noting that athletes associated with the Khelo India programme won 41 medals at the Asian Para Games and that 61 Indian competitors made their continental debut, with 31 returning with medals.

The Prime Minister highlighted economic and accessibility initiatives, including government approval of a Khelo India manufacturing scheme worth more than Rs 1,000 crore and measures to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities, such as changes to pension eligibility, promotion of sign language and increased accessibility of educational resources. He also called for Indian-made sports equipment, saying, "When an Indian or foreign player steps onto the field, their sports gear should also be 'Made in India'! Your clothes and shoes should also be 'Made in India'!"

Modi urged the medallists to use their achievements to inspire young people and to speak about their journeys when visiting colleges and educational institutions, reminding them that "This podium is not your final milestone in life. Please keep this in mind." He closed by telling the athletes, "The country stands with you. I am right here with you, waiting for your next victory," pressing them to treat the Asian Para Games success as a platform for future ambitions.