PM Modi honours Asian Games 2026 medal winners in Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met India’s Asian Games medallists on Thursday (Oct 15), following the country’s campaign at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Games in Japan. India finished fourth with 85 medals, including 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze. India maintained its fourth-place finish from the 2023 Hangzhou Games but won 21 fewer medals than its record tally of 106 in the previous edition.

Archery, wrestling and boxing lead the way

Archery was one of India’s strongest sports, with nine medals, including five gold, two silver and two bronze. Wrestling and boxing contributed six medals each. Wrestlers won two gold, two silver and two bronze, while boxers secured three gold and three bronze.

Athletics was India’s biggest contributor, with 24 medals, including one gold, nine silver and 14 bronze. Gulveer Singh stood out with silver medals in the 10,000m and 1,500m events and bronze in the 5,000m.

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Shooting added 15 medals, comprising three gold, eight silver and four bronze. However, India’s tally dropped from the 22 medals it won in the sport at Hangzhou.

Hockey, cricket and kabaddi deliver gold

India enjoyed success in team events, with both the men’s and women’s hockey teams winning gold. The men defeated Malaysia 5-1, while the women beat China 1-0 in their respective finals.

India also won gold in both men’s and women’s cricket. The women defeated Sri Lanka, while the men overcame Pakistan. Both kabaddi teams also claimed gold medals.

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Another major highlight came in weightlifting, where Mirabai Chanu won silver in the women’s 49kg category, ending India’s 28-year wait for an Asian Games medal in the sport.

However, India faced disappointments in badminton and tennis, with no individual badminton medals and no tennis medals reported in the campaign.

India’s 85-medal haul showcased its strength across several disciplines, while the decline from the Hangzhou tally highlighted areas that need improvement ahead of future international competitions.