Sheetal’s double gold, Shailesh-led podium sweep headline India’s best day yet

India enjoyed its most successful day at the Asian Para Games 2026 on Thursday, securing 26 medals, including seven golds, to push its overall tally to 88. Archer Sheetal Devi led the charge by capturing two gold medals within two hours, while Shailesh Kumar spearheaded an Indian podium sweep in the men's high jump T63 event. The surge in medals propelled India back into fourth place in the overall standings.

Additional gold medals came from Suvarna Raj, Anjanaben Bumbadiya, Dilip Mahadu Gavit, and Solairaj Dharmaraj in athletics. Swati Chaudhary secured India's first-ever W1 archery medal with silver, while the Indian contingent added four swimming medals, a table tennis bronze, and guaranteed multiple badminton medals after Pramod Bhagat and Nitesh Kumar set up an all-Indian final.