Indian para table tennis players win four bronze medals at Asian Para Games
Baby Sahana and Prachi Pandey became the first Indians to medal in the standing category as India added four bronze medals in Nagoya.
By Felo News Desk · Published
India added four bronze medals to its Asian Para Games tally on Tuesday in Nagoya, with Baby Sahana and Prachi Pandey becoming the first Indian athletes to reach the podium in the standing categories of para table tennis.
What happened
In the women's singles events, Sahana of Tamil Nadu lost 8‑11, 2‑11, 4‑11 to five‑time Paralympic gold‑medallist Mao Jingdian of China in the Class 9 semifinal, while Pandey was defeated 9‑11, 2‑11, 8‑11 by reigning Paralympic champion Najlah Al‑Dayyeni of Iraq in the Class 6 semifinal. Both athletes secured bronze medals after the losses. The Indian contingent also saw Paralympics medallist Bhavina Patel fall 7‑11, 5‑11, 7‑11 to China's eight‑time champion Zhang Bian in the Class 4‑5 semifinal, earning a second successive bronze.
What the reports add
New Indian Express noted that the four bronze medals lifted India’s para table‑tennis tally above that of the previous edition, which had yielded only two bronzes. The outlet highlighted the historic nature of Sahana’s and Pandey’s medals as the first for India in the standing categories. Deccan Chronicle, while focusing on the broader Indian campaign on Day 2, listed the table‑tennis bronze medals among the sports where India was expected to add to its medal haul, confirming the same four bronze outcomes.
What was said
New Indian Express reported that the semifinals were contested against “accomplished Paralympic medallists” and that the bronze medals were “particularly significant” for marking India’s first standing‑category podium finishes. No direct quotations were provided in either source.
How it came about
India entered the 2026 Asian Para Games with a strong start, having secured 11 medals on the opening day, as detailed by Deccan Chronicle. The country’s para table‑tennis programme has built on previous performances, improving from two bronze medals in the last edition to four this year. Earlier Felo coverage of India’s Asian Games successes, such as Neeraj Chauhan’s historic bronze in archery (Neeraj Chauhan bronze) and shooter Manish Narwal’s silver securing a 2028 Paralympic quota (Manish Narwal silver), illustrates the broader upward trend in India’s para‑sport achievements.
Key facts
- India won four bronze medals in para table tennis at the 2026 Asian Para Games. (newindianexpress.com)
- Baby Sahana and Prachi Pandey became the first Indians to medal in the standing categories. (newindianexpress.com)
- Sahana lost to Mao Jingdian of China in the Class 9 semifinal. (newindianexpress.com)
- Pandey lost to Najlah Al‑Dayyeni of Iraq in the Class 6 semifinal. (newindianexpress.com)
- Bhavina Patel earned a bronze after losing to Zhang Bian of China in the Class 4‑5 semifinal. (newindianexpress.com)
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