Bhavina Patel’s table-tennis bronze took India’s medal tally to 12 on Day 2 of the Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. It follows an 11-medal opening day — four golds, including Mona Agarwal’s Games-record shooting gold.
Updated: October 20, 2026, 10:00 IST
Quick Read
- Bhavina Patel, the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics silver medallist, lost 0-3 to China’s Zhang Bian in the women’s singles Class 4-5 semifinal (7-11, 5-11, 7-11). Her bronze was India’s 12th medal of the Games and the first on Day 2, ANI reported.
- On Day 1, India won 11 medals — 4 gold, 5 silver, 2 bronze — to sit fourth in the medal tally. Mona Agarwal beat Avani Lekhara by just 0.4 points (250.0 vs 249.6) for gold in the women’s 10m air rifle SH1, setting an Asian Para Games record.
- The other Day-1 golds came from Nishad Kumar (men’s long jump T47), Rinku (men’s javelin F46) and Soumya (women’s 1500m T12/T13).
- Archers including Sheetal Devi moved into the quarterfinals on Day 2, and the badminton pair of Pramod Bhagat and Manisha Ramdass assured India of a medal by reaching the mixed SL3-SU5 semifinals.
Bhavina Patel added India’s first medal of Day 2 on Tuesday morning in Aichi-Nagoya. The 2020 Paralympics silver medallist went down 0-3 to China’s Zhang Bian in the women’s singles Class 4-5 semifinal, losing 7-11, 5-11, 7-11. In para table tennis, losing semifinalists both get bronze — and that bronze took India’s tally to 12, after 11 medals on the opening day.
Day 1: 11 medals, 4 golds
The day’s standout story was the shooting final. Mona Agarwal, 38, staged a stirring comeback to beat her celebrated compatriot Avani Lekhara for gold in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1.
Mona was sixth after the first ten shots, with Avani leading. Then the momentum shifted in the elimination stage. Going into the final shot, Mona led by just 0.1 points — 239.2 to 239.1. She shot a superb 10.8; Avani managed 10.5. Final scores: Mona 250.0, Avani 249.6 — a new Asian Para Games record.
The numbers behind the win are remarkable. Mona took up rifle shooting only in December 2021. A reaction to polio drops affected both her legs, and she has balanced training with raising two children and a master’s degree in psychology. She dedicated Monday’s gold to her mother-in-law, who looked after the children while she competed, the Times of India reported. “Because of her, I was able to focus on my performance,” she said.
For Avani, 24, the silver adds to a career that already includes Paralympic golds at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. She had arrived in Nagoya as the defending Asian Para Games champion, having won gold at Hangzhou 2022.
The one-two finish also secured India a second quota place for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics, the Times of India reported. Mona had already earned one at the World Shooting Para Sport Championships in Changwon last month.
Kapil Parmar’s bronze in the men’s J1 -70 kg judo event made it two judo medals for India on the day. The Indian Express framed Kokila’s silver as her answer to the “karma” taunts she has faced.
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Mona beats Avani by 0.4 points
The standout story was the shooting final — Mona Agarwal’s gold in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1, beating Avani Lekhara 250.0 to 249.6, a new Asian Para Games record.
Mona took up rifle shooting only in December 2021. She dedicated Monday’s gold to her mother-in-law, the Times of India reported.
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What to watch on Day 2
The archery squad looks dangerous. Harvinder Singh, Bhawna, Sheetal Devi, Payal Nag, Toman Kumar and Shyam Sunder Swami all moved into the quarterfinals of their individual events on Tuesday, ANI reported. Sheetal Devi set a new world record on her way to her final, the Indian Express reported — her event is the one to watch.
In para badminton, the para badminton pair of Pramod Bhagat and Manisha Ramdass assured India of at least a bronze by reaching the semifinals, beating Thailand’s pair 21-15, 21-14 in just 25 minutes.
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FAQ
### How many medals has India won at the Asian Para Games 2026?
12, as of Tuesday morning — 11 on Day 1 (4 gold, 5 silver, 2 bronze) plus Bhavina Patel’s table-tennis bronze on Day 2. (One live blog put the figure at 21; ANI’s confirmed count is 12.) India sat fourth in the medal tally after Day 1.
### Who won India’s gold medals?
Mona Agarwal (shooting, women’s 10m air rifle SH1 — with a Games record 250.0), Nishad Kumar (men’s long jump T47), Rinku (men’s javelin F46) and Soumya (women’s 1500m T12/T13).
### What is the Sheetal Devi world-record story?
The Indian Express reported that Sheetal Devi set a new world record on her way to her final at the Games. She is also through to the quarterfinals in her individual archery event on Day 2, along with five other Indian archers.
Day 2 is still young, with archery quarterfinals and the badminton semifinals to come. If the archers hold their form, India’s tally of 12 could look very different by evening.
