Asian Para Games 2026: Full List of Indian Athletes for Aichi–Nagoya, Sport-Wise Breakdown

India will send a 281-member contingent, including 168 athletes, to the Aichi–Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games in Japan from October 18 to 24. The latest approved contingent comprises 112 men and 56 women competing across 11 disciplines.

The team includes Paralympic champions, Asian Games medallists and emerging athletes aiming to make their mark at the continental competition. India will look to build on its strong performance at the previous edition in Hangzhou in 2023, where the country won a record 111 medals.

The latest contingent approval includes boccia, which was added to the list of disciplines shortly before the Games. This updated list supersedes earlier reports that counted 166 athletes across 10 sports.

India’s Asian Para Games 2026 Contingent at a Glance

• Host: Aichi–Nagoya, Japan
  Competition dates: October 18–24, 2026
  Total contingent: 281 members
  Athletes: 168
  Men: 112
  Women: 56
  Disciplines: 11
  Chef de Mission: Rahul Swami
  Flag-bearers: Pramod Bhagat and Bhavina Patel

The contingent also includes team officials, support staff and other contingent personnel.

Sport-Wise Breakdown of India’s Athletes

The latest approved numbers are:

Sport	Athletes
Para-athletics	62
Para-badminton	28
Para-swimming	16
Para-shooting	13
Para-archery	11
Blind football	10
Para table tennis	10
Para-powerlifting	8
Para-judo	7
Para-cycling	1
Boccia	2
Total	168

Para-athletics is the largest discipline in the contingent, followed by para-badminton and para-swimming.

Star Athletes to Watch

Sheetal Devi and Harvinder Singh — Para-archery

Sheetal Devi, who has previously won major international titles, is among India’s leading para-archery prospects. She is joined by Harvinder Singh and other experienced archers, including Vijay Sundi and Shyam Sunder Swami.

Pramod Bhagat and Suhas Yathiraj — Para-badminton

Former Paralympic champion Pramod Bhagat and Paralympic medallist Suhas Yathiraj headline the badminton squad. The team also includes Manisha Ramadass, Nitesh Kumar, Krishna Nagar, Sukant Kadam and Thulasimathi Murugesan.

Avani Lekhara and Mona Agarwal — Para-shooting

India’s shooting contingent features Paralympic champions Avani Lekhara and Mona Agarwal, alongside Rubina Francis, Manish Narwal, Nihal Singh and other competitors.

Deepthi Jeevanji, Preeti Pal and Sumit — Para-athletics

The athletics team includes Deepthi Jeevanji, Preeti Pal, Sumit, Nishad Kumar, Navdeep, Dharambir and several other established and emerging athletes across track and field events.

Bhavina Patel — Para table tennis

Bhavina Patel, a prominent name in Indian para table tennis, is part of the squad alongside Sonalben Patel, Baby Sahana Ravi and other athletes.

Arshad Shaik — Para-cycling

Arshad Shaik is listed as India’s sole para-cycling athlete in the latest reports. His participation has drawn attention after para-cycling chief coach Aditya Mehta withdrew from the delegation in protest over the exclusion of eligible cyclists.

Boccia — Newly included discipline

Boccia was added to the approved contingent shortly before the Games. The latest list includes Anjali Devi and Sachin Chamaria, bringing the overall athlete count to 168.

India’s Medal Target After Hangzhou 2023

India recorded a historic 111-medal haul at the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China, winning 29 gold, 31 silver and 51 bronze medals.

The 2026 contingent is smaller than the athlete group that competed in Hangzhou, and the number of participating disciplines is also lower. Matching the previous medal total will therefore be a significant challenge.

India’s prospects will depend on performances across athletics, badminton, shooting, archery, swimming and other disciplines. The contingent contains experienced international performers, but results will depend on competition-day execution and the strength of the participating fields.

Selection and Contingent Updates

The finalisation of India’s contingent attracted attention because of delays, selection complaints and pending legal matters in certain disciplines. The late inclusion of boccia also changed the previously reported athlete total.

Separately, para-cycling coach Aditya Mehta withdrew from the delegation after raising concerns about the selection of cyclists. Arshad Shaik remained the sole cyclist listed in reports about the revised contingent.

These developments make it important to refer to the latest approved roster rather than rely on earlier lists circulated before the final changes.

Sources

1. Sportstar / The Hindu — India at Para Asian Games 2026: Full list of athletes, competition-wise split for Aichi–Nagoya Games.
   https://sportstar.thehindu.com/asian-games/india-at-para-asian-games-2926-full-list-of-athletes-competition-wise-split-indian-contingent-at-aichi-nagoya/article71584268.ece

2. Outlook India — Asian Para Games 2026: India Finalise 281-Member Contingent Across 11 Sports For Aichi-Nagoya – Check Full List.
   https://www.outlookindia.com/sports/others/india-at-asian-para-games-2026-full-list-of-athletes-sport-wise-ind-contingent-numbers-aichi-nagoya

3. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India — Participation of the Indian contingent in the 5th Asian Para Games 2026.
   https://www.yas.gov.in/en/sports/participation-indian-contingent-5th-asian-para-games-2026-scheduled-be-held-18th-october-24-0

4. Paralympic Committee of India — Aichi–Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games.
   https://www.paralympicindia.com/nagoya-aichi-asian-para-games-2026

SportsLine.news will follow India’s campaign in Japan, including the performances of its leading medal prospects and updates from all 11 disciplines.