India’s contingent exploded onto the scene Thursday, banking 26 medals to claim its most productive day at the Asian Para Games 2026. The haul included seven golds, pushing the total tally to 88 and snapping a two-day slide in the rankings. From sixth to fifth, the team has now stormed back to fourth place.
The engine of this surge was Sheetal Devi. The 19-year-old world No. 1 didn’t just win; she dominated. She started by defending the mixed team title with Toman Kumar, edging Indonesia 151-148. Then, in a span of less than two hours, she returned to the range for the women’s individual final. Trailing by four at one point, she shook it off to beat Singapore’s Alim Nur Syahidah 142-139. It’s a repeat of her Hangzhou 2023 triumph, and it cements her status as the Games’ archery star.
Athletics was the other powerhouse. Shailesh Kumar hit a Games-record 1.89m in the men’s high jump T63, leading an all-Indian podium sweep that included Varun Bhati and Rahul. Suvarna Raj, at 44, threw a 15.66m discus to win gold in the F54 category. Solairaj Dharmaraj finished the day with an Asian-record 7.15m long jump. The 400m T47 also saw an Indian 1-2 finish, with Dilip Mahadu Gavit taking gold in 48.27s and Anjanaben Bumbadiya securing the women’s title.
In the pool, India added four more medals, though golds remained elusive. Ravi Budigina claimed his third medal of the Games with a bronze in the 50m freestyle S13. Badminton also delivered, with Pramod Bhagat and Nitesh Kumar setting up an all-Indian final in the men’s singles SL3. Bhagat survived a grueling two-hour semifinal against South Korea’s Lee Seunghu.
China continues to reign supreme, crossing the 300-medal mark with 313 total, including 149 golds. Japan sits second with 136 medals. India’s next challenge is maintaining this momentum as the Games approach their final days.