New Delhi [India], November 6 (ANI): Para-athlete Suvarna Raj, who won gold in the women's discus throw F54 event at the Asian Para Games 2026, on Thursday described her interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an encouraging experience, saying his support further strengthens the willpower of athletes.

PM Modi interacted with members of India's Asian Para Games 2026 contingent at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi, congratulating the para-athletes on their historic performance in Aichi-Nagoya, where India secured fourth place with a record 114 medals.

Speaking to ANI, after the para-athletes' interaction with PM Modi, Suvarna Raj described the meeting as an encouraging experience, saying his support strengthened the athletes' determination. She expressed confidence that India would aim to move from fourth to first position at the Asian Para Games within the next 10 years.

'It was a great experience. We were so excited. He interacted with us. I also told him that I am a part of Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan). It felt great that he interacted with everyone,' she said.

"When the PM of your country encourages you, your willpower further strengthens. You feel that if he is with you, you too need to do something. From 14 medals in 2014 to 114 medals in 2016 - there is indeed support from him and that is why we could do this. India stood fourth (in the Asian Para Games 2026), we will try to bring it to the first position within next 10 years,' she added.

India finished the Asian Para Games 2026 with 30 gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze medals, surpassing its previous best of 108 medals at the 2022 Hangzhou edition. The country's contingent comprised 168 para-athletes, significantly fewer than the 309 who represented India at the previous Games.

The campaign featured several landmark performances across disciplines. In para-badminton, reigning Paralympic champion Nitesh Kumar defeated compatriot Pramod Bhagat in the men's singles SL3 final to win gold, while Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manasi Joshi clinched the women's doubles SL3-SU5 title.

In para-archery, Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi won gold in men's recurve doubles, while Pooja Jatyan and Bhawna Choudhary claimed silver in the women's event.

India also recorded world-record performances in para-athletics, with Haney winning the men's javelin F37/38 gold and Sandeep claiming the men's 400m T64 title. The country also swept all three medals in the men's javelin F42-F44/F61-F64 event, with Sumit taking gold, Mahendra Gurjar silver and Sandip Sanjay Sargar bronze.

Mona Agarwal added another landmark achievement in para-shooting, winning gold in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 and setting world and Asian Para Games records.

India's 114-medal haul marked its best-ever campaign at the continental event, further underlining the country's growing strength across para-sports. (ANI)