Asian Para Games: Nishad, Mona named Indian flag bearers for closing ceremony

Nishad Kumar and Mona Agarwal will carry the tricolor at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Saturday, bringing back the spotlight on two of India’s most successful athletes at the continental event.

Both athletes won two gold medals each, with Nishad excelling in para-athletics and Mona having a record-breaking campaign in shooting.

Nishad started his campaign with gold in the men’s long jump T47, winning with a best of 7.11m despite making his international debut in the event. The high jump specialist followed that up with another gold in the men’s T47 high jump, clearing 2.04m to set a new Games record.

The deuce made Nishad only the third Indian to win two gold medals in the only edition of the Asian Para Games as she joins para-runner Ankur Dham and armless archer Sheetal Devi.

For Nishad, a two-time Paralympic silver medalist and world champion, the victory in the long jump was particularly significant as he successfully transitioned into a new venture before returning to the top step in his specialty.

Meanwhile, Mona made an equally strong impression at the range. India opened the medal account with a gold in the SH1 women’s 10m standing air rifle, scoring a record 250.0 points to beat compatriot Avani Lekhar by just 0.4 points.

In the final, Mona climbed from sixth place to win the title, while Avani, a two-time Paralympic champion, settled for silver as India secured a one-two finish.

Mona didn’t stop there. The Paris 2024 Paralympic bronze medalist returned to win the SH1 50m 3 rifle gold in a world record 357.5 on Friday 23 October. She broke the previous world record of 356 set by Sweden’s Anna Benson in July 2026 to win her second gold of the Games.

Two gold medals capped a memorable campaign for Mona, who continued to establish herself among India’s premier para-shooters.

With two gold medals, Nishad and Mona will now lead the Indian contingent at the closing ceremony on Saturday. Their selection as flag bearers recognizes a campaign in which both athletes have combined consistency with record-breaking performances on the biggest stage.

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