Key Facts

India finished fourth at the Asian Para Games in Japan with a record haul of 114 medals. Among the stars were 18-year-old archer Sheetal Devi, born in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, with the congenital condition phocomelia and no arms, who won two golds shooting with her feet, shoulder and mouth under coach Kuldeep Vedwan. Nishad Kumar of Himachal Pradesh won gold in both high jump and long jump, Dilip Gavit of Nashik won golds in the 100 m and 400 m, Mona Agarwal, a 38-year-old mother of two from Rajasthan, won shooting golds in the 10 m and 50 m events, and Tamil Nadu's Thulasimathi Murugesan of Kancheepuram won one gold and two silvers in badminton.

GK Context

The Asian Para Games are held every four years for athletes with disabilities, after the Asian Games. Phocomelia is a congenital condition in which limbs are severely underdeveloped. India's para athletes have also excelled at the Paralympics; Nishad Kumar won silver in the high jump at both Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. Para sport in India is supported by the Paralympic Committee of India and schemes such as Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and Khelo India.