NAGHOYA: India added to its para badminton medal tally at the Asian Para Games 2026 as Sanjana Kumari and Abhijeet Sakhuja secured bronze medals, while Paris Paralympic champion Nitesh Kumar, Naveen Sivakumar and the mixed doubles combination of Nitesh and Thulasimathi Murgesan advanced to their respective finals.
Sanjana Kumari also marked her maiden appearance at the continental event with a podium finish, claiming bronze in the women’s singles SL3 competition. The Indian shuttler faced Japan’s Shino Kawai in the semifinal but was unable to find a way past her opponent, losing 7-21, 9-21.
Meanwhile, making his Asian Para Games debut, Naveen delivered a composed performance in the men’s singles SL4 semifinal, defeating compatriot Abhijeet 21-13, 21-15 to book his place in the gold medal match. The victory ensured Naveen’s continued push for the top podium finish, while Abhijeet had to settle for bronze after the all-Indian contest.
Nitesh, on the other hand, booked his place in the Men's Singles SL3 final after defeating Indonesia’s Imran Muh Al in straight games. He showed composure in a closely contested opening game, edging it 21-19 before raising his level in the second to secure a 21-16 victory.
Nitesh controlled the proceedings in the second game, demonstrating his quality and experience to seal the match and move one step closer to another major title. He will now compete for the gold medal as he looks to continue his impressive run in Nagoya.
Although the defeat ended Sanjana’s hopes of reaching the final, the bronze medal provided a significant reward on her Asian Para Games debut and added another podium finish to India’s campaign.
The day’s biggest final-bound breakthrough in doubles came from Nitesh and Thulasimathi Murgesan, who overcame China’s Mingpan Li and Zuxian Xiao in a demanding mixed doubles SL3–SU5 semifinal.
The Indian duo took the opening game 21-19, only for their Chinese opponents to respond with a 21-14 win in the second. With a place in the final at stake, Nitesh and Thulasimathi regrouped in the decider and produced a strong finish to claim the game 21-17 and complete a 21-19, 14-21, 21-17 victory.
The contest was marked by long, hard-fought exchanges, including a rally that lasted 79 seconds, underlining the physical demands of the semifinal. The Indians held their composure through the deciding game to secure their place in the gold medal match.
Nitesh and Thulasimathi will now take on Indonesia’s Lani Ratri Oktila and Jikmat Ramdani in the final, with the Asian Para Games title on the line.
With Naveen and the mixed doubles pair advancing to their respective finals, India will have further opportunities to add gold to its para badminton haul. Meanwhile, the bronze medals won by Sanjana and Abhijeet ensured that their campaigns ended on the podium, giving India a productive outing across the singles and mixed doubles events.