India to send its largest-ever contingent for Asian Para Games 2023

Indian contingent won 72 medals in the previous edition.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has sanctioned a total of 303 sportspersons across 17 sporting disciplines for participation in the upcoming Asian Para Games 2023. The ministry also cleared a total of 143 coaches, escorts, officials and support staff to be part of the Asian Para Games contingent.

The athletes' list comprises of 191 Male and 112 Female athletes, with the largest contingent of 123 athletes being cleared for Athletics events. A total of 190 athletes in 13 sporting events participated in the last edition of the Asian Para Games in 2018 where India returned with a total of 72 medals including 15 Golds.

Sumit Antil and Avani Lekhara will spearhead the Indian contingent at the Para Asian Games 2023. The former, in particular, has been in red hot form and recently broke his own national record in men's javelin F64 category at the World Para Athletics Championships 2023. In the past two years, Sumit has breached his NR close to five times and is all set to go farther at Hangzhou.

A total of 123 athletes out of the total contingent will take part in athletics - track and field. Like the Asian Games, athletics is set to offer the most number of medals in Para Asian Games 2023 as well. The inaugural edition of the Continental Games was held in Guangzhou, China under the aegis of Asian Paralympic Committee.

Since then the multi sporting competition is held every four years and this is the fourth edition of the quadrennial extravaganza. In 2010, India won 14 medals followed by 33 in 2014 and 72 in the preceding edition. This time there are high expectations of India breaching the 100 medals mark.