India Make Flying Start at Asian Para Games, Clinch 11 Medals Including Four Gold on Opening Day

Indian para-shooter Mona Agarwal celebrates her gold-medal triumph at the Asian Para Games in Nagoya, Japan, on Monday, October 19, 2026. Agarwal secured the women’s 10-metre air rifle SH1 title with a record score of 250.0 points, helping India begin its campaign with 11 medals, including four gold. Photo:PTI

Mona Agarwal and Nishad Kumar lead India’s impressive medal surge in Nagoya, while armless archer Sheetal Devi equals a world record before joining Rakesh Kumar to establish a new mixed-team world mark.

Key Highlights

• India secure 11 medals, including four gold, on the opening day of the Asian Para Games.
• Indian para-athletes deliver medal-winning performances across four sports.
• Shooter Mona Agarwal and long jumper Nishad Kumar feature among India’s leading performers.
• Sheetal Devi equals the world record in the women’s compound archery qualification round.
• Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar combine to establish a new world record in the mixed-team compound event.
• India’s opening-day performance highlights the growing strength of the country’s para-sports movement.

India Announce Their Arrival With an Impressive Medal Haul

Nagoya: India made an emphatic beginning to their Asian Para Games campaign on Monday, collecting 11 medals, including four gold, as the country’s para-athletes delivered an outstanding series of performances across four sporting disciplines. Established competitors, including shooter Mona Agarwal and long jumper Nishad Kumar, led the charge, while armless archer Sheetal Devi captured attention with two remarkable world-record performances in archery.

The opening-day medal haul provided an encouraging start for the Indian contingent, reflecting the determination, competitive ability and sporting excellence of athletes who have consistently challenged physical limitations and international competition.

India’s performances were particularly significant because the medals came from multiple disciplines rather than a single event, demonstrating the breadth of talent emerging within the country’s para-sports ecosystem.

Mona Agarwal Leads India’s Golden Charge

Indian shooter Mona Agarwal emerged as one of the prominent performers of the opening day, adding a gold medal to the country’s growing tally.

Competing against international opposition, Agarwal’s achievement underlined the technical precision, concentration and mental strength required to succeed in competitive para-shooting.

Her performance also provided an early boost to India’s medal ambitions and reinforced the importance of experienced athletes in major international competitions.

Nishad Kumar Strengthens India’s Athletics Campaign

Long jumper Nishad Kumar was another established Indian athlete whose performance contributed to the country’s impressive beginning.

Known for his achievements in international para-athletics, Kumar once again demonstrated the competitive consistency that has made him an important figure in Indian para-sports.

His opening-day performance added to the momentum generated by India’s medal winners and strengthened the country’s presence in athletics.

Sheetal Devi’s World-Record Performance Steals the Spotlight

Although India’s archers had not yet added to the medal tally, Sheetal Devi produced one of the most remarkable performances of the opening day.

The armless archer scored 704 points in the women’s compound qualification round, equalling the world record and establishing a new Asian record.

She subsequently combined with Rakesh Kumar in the mixed-team compound qualification event to establish another world mark, further demonstrating India’s growing competitiveness in international para-archery.

Four Gold, Five Silver and Two Bronze Put India Fourth

India completed Monday’s competition with four gold, five silver and two bronze medals, securing fourth position in the overall standings.

The four gold medals came through Mona Agarwal in shooting, Nishad Kumar in long jump, Soumya in the 1,500-metre race and Rinku in javelin throw.

India also recorded several gold-silver finishes, highlighting the strength of its competitors in individual events.

A Historic Shooting Performance From Mona Agarwal

Agarwal’s victory was particularly noteworthy because she defeated compatriot and two-time Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara in the women’s 10-metre air rifle SH1 final.

Agarwal registered 250.0 points, setting an Asian Para Games record, while Lekhara finished with 249.6 points to claim silver.

The narrow margin of victory reflected the exceptionally high standard of competition between the two Indian shooters.

India’s Para-Athletes Set Their Sights on More Medals

The encouraging opening-day performance has strengthened expectations of further Indian success as the competition progresses.

With established champions and emerging athletes competing across several disciplines, India will seek to build on its early momentum and improve its position in the medal standings.

The results also reflect the growing importance of competitive opportunities, specialised coaching, accessible sporting infrastructure and sustained institutional support for para-athletes.

For India’s contingent, the first day in Nagoya was not merely about winning medals. It was a powerful demonstration of sporting excellence, perseverance and the ability to compete successfully on the international stage.