India’s Mohenjodar-inspired kit steals the show at the opening ceremony of the Asian Para Games

The Indian contingent impressed at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan on Sunday, October 18, with a festive kit inspired by the Indus Valley Civilization. Navy blue blazers with golden imprints of some of civilization’s most iconic artifacts brought a touch of India’s ancient heritage to the parade of nations.

Blazers featured motifs inspired by the famous Priest-King statue and the Dancing Girl figurine, two iconic artifacts associated with the Indus Valley Civilization. The design also included prints of ancient seals, drawing on the civilization’s distinctive symbols and scripts. Courtesy: PCI

The set offered a nod to a civilization that flourished thousands of years ago, with the Indian contingent bringing their cultural legacy to Nagoya’s sporting scene. The blazers also featured the Indian tricolor on the pocket near the heart, while the collar paid homage to SaptSindhu, the land of seven rivers.

The opening ceremony kicked off the fifth edition of the Asian Para Games, which will take place from October 18 to 24. India has fielded a 281-member contingent, including 168 athletes, comprising 112 men and 56 women, competing in 11 disciplines. Around 3,000 athletes from 45 countries are expected to participate in the games, which carry the motto ‘Imagine One Heart’.

PRAMOD BHAGAT, SIMRAN SHARMA LEAD INDIA

Meanwhile, para-badminton player Pramod Bhagat and para-sprinter Simran Sharma led the Indian contingent as flag bearers at the opening ceremony.

Simran replaced para-table tennis player Bhavina Patel, with the Indian contingent management prioritizing the latter’s rest and recovery ahead of her quarter-final match on Monday 19 October.

The decision was taken in view of the difficulty of the journey to the opening ceremony and back, which was expected to take almost six hours. Bhavina, a wheelchair athlete, would have limited recovery time ahead of her crucial quarter-final due to this trip.

Explaining the decision, Satyanarayana, head coach of para-athletics, said the team wanted to ensure Bhavina was well rested before the match.

“Bhavina has her quarter-final match tomorrow, October 19, and it is important that she gets enough rest and recovery before this crucial match. As a wheelchair athlete, it takes almost six hours to travel to and from the venue, which would be challenging and would leave her with limited time to recover,” he said.

“With her well-being and competition schedule in mind, we felt it was important to make this change. Our priority is to ensure our athletes get the rest they need and are fully prepared to perform at their best when they compete,” added Satyanarayana.

Bhagat and Simran took the responsibility of leading the contingent at the ceremony as India began its campaign for the continental para-sports event.

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