Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the Indian contingent that participated in the 2026 Asian Games in New Delhi on October 15. He congratulated the athletes, coaches and support staff for winning 85 medals for the country.
India finished in fourth place at the Games, held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, securing 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze medals. Modi commended the athletes for bringing honor to the nation and highlighted their consistently growing success across various sports.
The Prime Minister lauded the gold medal victories of the men’s and women’s hockey teams, the double gold medals in kabaddi and India’s five gold medals in archery. He also highlighted the achievements of women athletes, who secured a total of 38 medals, including 11 gold. Furthermore, he noted that India won medals for the first time in sports such as mixed martial arts and soft tennis.
Modi credited initiatives like the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and Khelo India for strengthening sports infrastructure, improving training facilities and providing financial support to athletes. He emphasized the importance of identifying talent at an early stage to prepare future champions, increasing participation at the grassroots level and providing better competitive exposure.
Looking ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the 2030 Commonwealth Games, Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s ambition to host the 2036 Olympics. He also encouraged medal-winning athletes to visit schools and their hometowns to inspire young people and nurture future sporting talent, expressing confidence in India’s potential to become a leading sporting nation.
(PIB)
