- Participation of 168 players of India
- Demonstrated skills in 11 sports
- Prime Minister of Japan Emperor Naruhito
The fifth edition of the Asian Para Games 2026 in Japan got off to a grand start on Sunday. Emperor Naruhito of Japan announced the official start of the tournament.
The continental Games began with an opening ceremony held at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Aichi-Nagoya. Around 3000 players from 45 countries have participated in this tournament which will last till October 24. The motto of the competition is 'Imagine One Heart'.
Although the opening ceremony was held on Sunday, some sports competitions had already started. Japan won the men's and women's wheelchair basketball preliminary round matches on Friday. India's men's and women's goalball teams won against Qatar and Thailand respectively on Saturday.
Pramod Bhagat and Simran Sharma are the flag bearers
The Indian team attracted attention in the 'Parade of Nations' at the opening ceremony. Para-badminton player Pramod Bhagat and para-athlete Simran Sharma led the Indian team carrying the tricolor as India's flag bearers. The ceremony was held at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya.
The attire of the Indian team also caught everyone's attention. Players and team members wore dark blue blazers. It had golden craftsmanship inspired by the Indus civilization. It contains references to the famous 'Priest-King' statue, 'Dancing Girl' sculpture and ancient postures. Tricolor near the blazer pocket, while 'Saptasindhu' was mentioned on the collar.
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168 athletes from India participated in 11 sports
A total of 281 members are included in the Indian squad for this tournament. There are 168 players out of which 112 are men and 56 are women. These athletes will represent India in 11 different sports. Indian athletes will be aiming to win medals in various para-sports, including bettering their performance in previous competitions.
Meanwhile, India's flag bearers were changed just before the inauguration ceremony. Initially, Pramod Bhagat and para-table tennis player Bhavina Patel were selected as the flag bearers. However, Simran Sharma was selected in place of Bhavina Patel in order to rest her in view of the semi-final match on 19 October.
Para-athletes of Asia will get an opportunity to show their skills through the Asian Para Games, and the performance of Indian athletes has attracted the attention of sports enthusiasts.
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