India have made a flying start at the 5th Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, collecting 11 medals on the opening day of competition on Monday, October 19. Shooter Mona Agarwal led the charge with a Games-record gold, while the para athletics squad delivered three golds at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Nagoya.
India's haul of 4 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze left the contingent fourth in the overall medal standings behind China, hosts Japan and Uzbekistan, according to ANI. It is an encouraging opening for a 168-member squad that has set itself a target of 100 medals at these Games.
Mona Agarwal Beats Avani Lekhara in All-Indian Finish
The day's headline moment came at the shooting range. In the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 final, Mona Agarwal shot 250.0 to claim gold and set a new Asian Para Games record. She edged compatriot and Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara by just 0.4 points, with Avani taking silver on 249.6. South Korea's Lee Yunri finished a distant third with 227.9.
For Mona, it was a remarkable turnaround from the previous edition in Hangzhou (held in 2023), where she finished sixth. She had already signalled her form by topping qualification with 629.1, also a qualification record. Avani, who won this event at the previous Asian Para Games, once again showed her consistency on the big stage.
Para Athletics: Nishad, Rinku and Soumya Strike Gold
On the track and field, India collected six medals on day one. Tokyo and Paris Paralympic medallist Nishad Kumar won the men's T47 long jump with a leap of 7.11 metres. In the men's javelin throw F46, Rinku Hooda took gold with 65.11m, just ahead of teammate Ajeet Singh, who threw 65.02m for silver in another Indian one-two.
The women's 1500m T12/13 also delivered a double podium. Soumya won gold in a personal best of 5:12.39, while Radha Venkatesh took silver in 5:30.90. Japan's Mana Sasaki actually clocked a faster 5:12.15, but finished third under the combined classification points system used in the event.
In the women's 1500m T11, Ravanni Valasanaini ran a personal best of 5:41.85 and was awarded bronze after the original third-place finisher, Rakshitha Raju, was disqualified for a technical violation.
Day 1 Indian Medal Winners at a Glance
| Mona Agarwal | Gold – Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 (250.0, Games record) |
| Avani Lekhara | Silver – Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 (249.6) |
| Nishad Kumar | Gold – Men's Long Jump T47 (7.11m) |
| Rinku Hooda | Gold – Men's Javelin Throw F46 (65.11m) |
| Ajeet Singh | Silver – Men's Javelin Throw F46 (65.02m) |
| Soumya | Gold – Women's 1500m T12/13 (5:12.39) |
| Radha Venkatesh | Silver – Women's 1500m T12/13 (5:30.90) |
| Ravanni Valasanaini | Bronze – Women's 1500m T11 (5:41.85) |
| Ravi Karthik Budigina | Silver – Men's 100m Freestyle S13 (56.80s) |
| Kokila | Silver – Para Judo |
| India total (Day 1) | 11 medals – 4 gold, 5 silver, 2 bronze |
Swimming, Judo and a World Record in Archery
India's medals were not limited to the range and the athletics stadium. Swimmer Ravi Karthik Budigina won silver in the men's 100m freestyle S13 in 56.80 seconds, and judoka Kokila added another silver on the mat.
There was also a world record, even if it did not come with a medal yet. Archers Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar scored 1,402 points in the mixed team compound ranking round, setting a world mark and earning a strong seeding for the knockout stage. In judo, Kapil Parmar progressed with a quarterfinal win in the men's J1 -70kg category.
What It Means for India
India finished the previous Asian Para Games in Hangzhou with a record 111 medals, and the opening day in Japan suggests the squad is in shape to challenge that mark again. The early golds in shooting and athletics, two of India's strongest para sports, take some pressure off the rest of the contingent and set the tone for the days ahead.
The results also reflect the steady growth of para sport in India since the Tokyo and Paris Paralympics, with a deeper pool of athletes now winning medals across classifications rather than relying on a handful of stars.
What Happens Next
More shooting, athletics, swimming, badminton and archery events are lined up over the coming days, with the mixed team compound pair of Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar among India's top medal hopes. In para badminton, Sonalben has already assured India of a medal with a quarterfinal win, and with a strong start already banked, the focus will be on how quickly India can move towards the 100-medal target.
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