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Asian Para Games 2026: SAI Gandhinagar sends off para powerlifters Jhandu Kumar, Seema Rani and team

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Four Indian para powerlifters headed for the Asian Para Games 2026 were given a formal send-off by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Regional Centre in Gandhinagar, the sports ministry said on 14 October. The 5th Asian Para Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from 18 to 24 October 2026.

Asian Para Games 2026: The para powerlifting team at the SAI Gandhinagar send-off
The para powerlifting team at the SAI Gandhinagar send-off Photo: PIB (Government of India, free to use with credit).

SAI Gandhinagar's para powerlifting group

The four lifters, Jaspreet Kaur, Seema Rani, Manish Kumar and Jhandu Kumar, train at the SAI National Centre of Excellence in Gandhinagar under coach Rajinder Singh Rahelu. All four have won national titles and gold medals at the Khelo India Para Games. Jaspreet Kaur also won silver at the Brazil Para-Powerlifting Open in 2025, and Manish Kumar and Seema Rani have already competed at the Asian Para Games and the World Championships.

Key Facts

  • Games: 5th Asian Para Games, Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
  • Dates: 18-24 October 2026
  • From SAI Gandhinagar: 4 lifters
  • India’s squad: 166 athletes, 10 sports
  • Coach: Rajinder Singh Rahelu

Jhandu Kumar heads to Aichi-Nagoya with a CWG medal

Jhandu Kumar is the best-known name in the group. He won bronze in the men’s heavyweight para powerlifting event at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, Olympics.com reported, and earlier took bronze at the Beijing World Cup in 2025. SAI said the athletes had benefited from specialised coaching, structured training and modern infrastructure at the Gandhinagar centre, and wished them success in Japan. The ministry said the ceremony was meant to celebrate the lifters’ dedication and hard work and to motivate them before they compete.

India's 166-athlete Asian Para Games 2026 squad

The Times of India reported that India has named 166 athletes across 10 sports for the Games, with para athletics the largest group, and has approved a 275-member contingent in all. Para powerlifting has eight lifters in the squad, so the Gandhinagar four make up half the team. Para powerlifting is a bench-press event, and lifters compete in body-weight classes, which gives the squad several separate chances to win medals.

Why It Matters: Para powerlifting has given India medals at recent multi-sport Games, and a strong Gandhinagar group raises hopes of more podiums in Japan.

Also on TrendDesh: Indian Oil boxing deal: Rs 40 crore over two years for talent, coaching and sports science · Services athletes Asian Games haul: Rajnath Singh honours record 27-medal tally

Source: PIB · Times of India · Olympics.com

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