Asian Para Games 2026: Sumit Antil, Sheetal Devi, Avani Lekhara Spearhead Indian Challenge

India will kick-start its Asian Para Games campaign with a smaller contingent but with its sights firmly set on another successful showing from Sunday onwards, with Pramod Bhagat and Bhavina Patel serving as the flag-bearers at the opening ceremony. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has cleared 168 athletes for the 5th Asian Para Games 2026, to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. A total contingent of 281 members has been approved, comprising 168 athletes, 98 team officials and support staff, and 15 contingent staff members. The contingent size is significantly smaller than in the previous edition held in Hangzhou, China, in 2023, where India fielded 303 athletes. This edition of the Asian Para Games will be held from October 18 to 24.

The sharp drop in contingent size is due to the absence of disciplines such as blind chess, para rowing and para canoeing, in which India had fielded athletes previously, as well as stricter quota restrictions imposed by the organising committee across several sports. In para athletics, India's largest contingent in 2023 with 123 athletes, the quotas have reduced the number to 62.

Of the 168 athletes, 112 are men and 56 are women, competing across 11 disciplines.

Some competitions, including blind football, para badminton, para table tennis and boccia, began their preliminary rounds before the opening ceremony.

India head to Aichi-Nagoya three years after their best-ever Asian Para Games campaign, where they won 111 medals, including 29 gold, 31 silver and 51 bronze, in Hangzhou. The tally was far superior to India's previous best of 72 medals at the 2018 Jakarta Games.

Para athletics was India's biggest contributor in 2023, delivering 55 medals, including 18 golds, and is once again expected to be a major source of success in Japan.

Two-time Paralympic champion Sumit Antil will be among India's biggest medal hopes as he attempts to defend his men's F64 javelin throw title.

Other para-athletics stars include Paralympic champions Dharambir Nain, Praveen Kumar and Navdeep Singh, along with Paralympic medallists Preethi Pal, Deepthi Jeevanji, Nishad Kumar, Sachin Sarjerao Khilari and Hokato Hotozhe Sema, all of whom are strong medal contenders.

India will also field a formidable para-shooting contingent led by Avani Lekhara, a two-time Paralympic champion and defending Asian Para Games gold medallist in the women's 10m air rifle event.

In para archery, 19-year-old Sheetal Devi will look to defend her women's compound title after winning two gold medals and a silver medal at the Hangzhou Games.

Paralympic champion Nitesh Kumar and former world champion Pramod Bhagat will spearhead India's para-badminton challenge alongside Paralympic silver medallists Suhas Yathiraj and Thulasimathi Murugesan, and bronze medallist Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan.

India's rise at the Asian Para Games has been remarkable. From 14 medals at Guangzhou 2010 to 33 at Incheon 2014, 72 at Jakarta 2018 and a record 111 at Hangzhou 2023, the country has emerged as a major force in para sports.

The competitions will be staged across 19 venues, with the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium serving as the primary venue.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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