Pramod Bhagat and Bhavina Patel will carry the Indian flag at the Opening Ceremony of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games, with India aiming to build on its record-breaking performances in para sport. India’s growing para-sport movement will have two of its most accomplished athletes at the front of the contingent when Pramod Bhagat and Bhavina Patel carry the Tricolour at the Opening Ceremony of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games in Nagoya on October 18.
The Paralympic champions have been named India’s joint flag bearers for the fifth edition of the Asian Para Games, which will be held from October 18 to 24 in Japan. The selection brings together two athletes from different disciplines who have played significant roles in India’s rise on the international para-sport stage. Bhagat, one of India’s most decorated para badminton players, has collected six Asian Para Games medals between 2014 and 2023, including two gold and four bronze.
Patel, meanwhile, has won two Asian Para Games medals, one silver and one bronze, between 2018 and 2023 in para table tennis. Together, the two athletes have eight Asian Para Games medals. Bhagat’s record at the Asian Para Games is particularly notable. At the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, held in 2023 after the original schedule was postponed, he retained his men’s singles SL3 title and added two bronze medals in doubles events. His six-medal Asian Para Games tally includes two gold medals and four bronze medals.
Patel, meanwhile, has established herself as one of India’s leading para table tennis players. Her journey includes a historic silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, while her performances across major international competitions have made her one of the prominent figures in Indian para sport. The honour of carrying the Tricolour therefore comes at a significant moment for both athletes, but Patel said the responsibility carries a meaning beyond personal achievement.
“It is a very proud moment for me to be chosen as India’s flag bearer,” Patel said in a release. “When you carry the Tricolour, you realise that you are representing something much bigger than yourself. I am excited to walk into the Opening Ceremony with Pramod and lead our contingent. I hope all our athletes compete with confidence, enjoy the moment and give their very best for India.” Her comments underline the significance of the role as India prepares to enter another major continental para-sport competition.
Paralympic Committee of India president Devendra Jhajharia described the selection of Bhagat and Patel as a moment of immense pride for Indian para sport, pointing to their achievements and resilience as key reasons for the decision. “It is a matter of immense pride for us to have Pramod Bhagat and Bhavina Patel lead the Indian contingent at the Opening Ceremony,” Devendra Jhajharia, President, PCI.
“Both are exceptional champions who have contributed immensely to the growth of Indian para sport. Their journey, achievements and resilience make them fitting representatives of the Indian contingent, and I am confident they will inspire our athletes as they embark on this important campaign.”
The Paralympic Committee of India will formally see off the Indian contingent at a special ceremony in New Delhi on October 8. Union Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya will attend as the chief guest, while Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse will be the Guest of Honour.
The Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games will bring together athletes from across Asia for the fifth edition of the continental multi-sport event. The Asian Paralympic Committee has confirmed 18 sports for the Games, including para athletics, para badminton, para table tennis, para archery, para swimming, shooting para sport, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis and wheelchair fencing. Organisers expect around 3,600 to 4,000 athletes from 45 Asian National Paralympic Committees to compete in Nagoya. The event will use venues that were also part of the wider Aichi-Nagoya sporting programme.
For India, the Games arrive amid a period of sustained growth in para sport. India’s Paralympic medal tally rose from four at Rio 2016 to 19 at Tokyo 2020 before reaching a record 29 medals at Paris 2024, including seven gold, nine silver and 13 bronze. The Asian Para Games will provide another opportunity for India’s established stars and emerging athletes to convert that momentum into continental success. Bhagat and Patel will now have a role that extends beyond their respective events. As flag bearers, they will represent an Indian para-sport generation that has moved from seeking recognition to consistently competing for medals on the biggest stages.
The significance of Bhagat and Patel’s selection lies not simply in the medals they have already won, but in what they represent for Indian para sport. Bhagat’s longevity and success in para badminton, coupled with Patel’s rise in para table tennis, reflect the widening footprint of India’s para-sport ecosystem. Their selection also places experience at the forefront of a contingent that will include athletes looking to make their own breakthroughs in Nagoya. India’s recent Paralympic success has raised expectations, but the Asian Para Games will provide a different test, with continental rivals bringing strong fields across 18 disciplines.
On October 18, when Bhagat and Patel walk into the Opening Ceremony carrying the Tricolour, the moment will therefore be bigger than two individual careers. It will mark the beginning of another campaign for an Indian para-sport movement that is increasingly competing with confidence, visibility and ambition on the international stage.
