Pariksha SaathiPM meets Asian Games 2026 contingent: India's 85 medals include 38 won by women and double hockey gold
Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the Indian contingent from the Asian Games 2026 on 15 October 2026 at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi, on the birth anniversary of Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Recalling the Games, he cited gold medals for both the men's and women's hockey teams, with the women ending a 44-year wait, medals for both cricket teams, two kabaddi golds, five golds in archery, a weightlifting medal after 28 years, India's first marathon success since 1982, new athletics records and maiden Asian Games medals in mixed martial arts, soft tennis and some sailing events. He said women won 38 of India's 85 medals, including 11 golds. He linked the results to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, which gives athletes a Rs 50,000 monthly out-of-pocket allowance, to more than Rs 36,000 crore allocated to expand Khelo India and strengthen federations, to over a thousand Khelo India Centres and the new Khelo Bharat Niti, and spoke of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, India's hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games and its aspiration to host the 2036 Olympics. The contingent joined him in a 'We will do it' pledge.
Drafted with AI assistance from the official PIB release linked above and checked against it by a second AI pass. Not line-edited by a human.
Learning context
The 2026 Asian Games, the 20th edition, were held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from 19 September to 4 October 2026 under the Olympic Council of Asia. India hosted the first Asian Games in New Delhi in 1951 and again in 1982, when the women’s hockey gold mentioned in this release was last won. The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) was launched in September 2014 to support elite athletes, and Khelo India began in 2017-18, with its first Khelo India School Games held in 2018.
Reference: Olympic Council of Asia (Asian Games editions and hosts)
Check yourself: where were the 2026 Asian Games held?
In Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from 19 September to 4 October 2026. The previous edition, Hangzhou 2022, was held in 2023 after a pandemic postponement.
Revision task: from this release, note the medal figures (85 in all, 38 by women, 11 of them gold) and the firsts the Prime Minister listed, and keep them apart from the standing facts about the Games above.
Test yourself
According to the Prime Minister's interaction with the contingent on 15 October 2026, how many medals did India win at the Asian Games 2026, and how many of them were won by women?
Show the answer
Answer: 85 medals, 38 by women
India won 85 medals; women accounted for 38 of them, including 11 golds. Both hockey teams won gold, with the women ending a 44-year wait.
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