NEW DELHI: After a successful Asian Games campaign in Aichi-Nagoya, where India finished fourth in the medal tally with 85 medals, including 21 gold, the country’s para-athletes will look to carry the momentum into the Asian Para Games.Paralympic champions Pramod Bhagat and Bhavina Patel have been chosen as India’s flag bearers for the Opening Ceremony of the Asian Para Games, scheduled to be held from October 18 to 24 in Nagoya, Japan.Bhagat, one of India’s most decorated para badminton players, has won six Asian Para Games medals between 2014 and 2023, including two gold and four bronze. Patel, meanwhile, is among India’s leading para table tennis players and has won two Asian Para Games medals — a silver and a bronze — between 2018 and 2023.
‘A very proud moment’
Patel said being selected to carry the Tricolour was a matter of immense pride and hoped the honour would inspire the Indian contingent.“It is a very proud moment for me to be chosen as India’s flag bearer,” Patel said in a release.“When you carry the Tricolour, you realise that you are representing something much bigger than yourself. I am excited to walk into the Opening Ceremony with Pramod and lead our contingent. I hope all our athletes compete with confidence, enjoy the moment and give their very best for India.”The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) will formally send off the Indian contingent at a special ceremony on October 8. Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya will attend as chief guest, with Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse as the Guest of Honour.
‘Fitting representatives of the Indian contingent’
PCI president Devendra Jhajharia said Bhagat and Patel’s achievements and resilience made them ideal choices to lead India at the continental para-sport showpiece.“It is a matter of immense pride for us to have Pramod Bhagat and Bhavina Patel lead the Indian contingent at the Opening Ceremony,” Jhajharia said.“Both are exceptional champions who have contributed immensely to the growth of Indian para sport. Their journey, achievements and resilience make them fitting representatives of the Indian contingent, and I am confident they will inspire our athletes as they embark on this important campaign.”The Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games will bring together para-athletes from across Asia, with India aiming to build on its growing success at major international competitions.
