By Prarthana Hazarika
India’s campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 produced several memorable performances, but five athletes stood out by completing an extraordinary three-medal haul each.From historic archery golds and shooting dominance to record-breaking athletics performances, Kumkum Mohod, Neeru Dhanda, Vithya Ramraj, Gulveer Singh and Rudrankksh Patil emerged among India’s most successful individual performers at the Games.
Kumkum Mohod — 2 Gold, 1 Silver
Seventeen-year-old Kumkum Mohod announced herself on the Asian Games stage in spectacular fashion.The young archer won gold in the women’s recurve team event, gold in the individual recurve event and silver in the mixed recurve team event.Her individual gold was historic — she became the first Indian woman to win an individual recurve gold at the Asian Games. She also helped India end South Korea’s long-standing dominance in the women’s recurve team event.
Neeru Dhanda — 2 Gold, 1 Silver
Trap shooter Neeru Dhanda enjoyed a sensational Asian Games debut.She won gold in women’s individual trap, another gold in the mixed team trap with Kynan Chenai, and silver in the women’s trap team event. Her individual victory was India’s first women’s individual Asian Games gold in trap shooting. Her outstanding campaign also earned her the honour of being India’s women’s flag-bearer at the closing ceremony.
Vithya Ramraj — 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze
Vithya Ramraj completed a remarkable medal treble in athletics.She won gold in the women’s 4x400m relay, silver in the mixed 4x400m relay and bronze in the 400m hurdles.Her bronze-winning run was particularly significant. Vithya clocked 54.75 seconds, breaking PT Usha’s 42-year-old national record in the event.
Gulveer Singh — 2 Silver, 1 Bronze
Distance runner Gulveer Singh produced one of India’s grittiest performances in Nagoya.He won silver in the 10,000m, another silver in the 1,500m, and then completed his hat-trick with bronze in the 5,000m.The 5,000m bronze came after Gulveer had already raced four times in five days, underlining the endurance and determination behind his three-medal campaign.
Rudrankksh Patil — 2 Silver, 1 Bronze
Shooter Rudrankksh Patil also finished the Games with three medals.He secured silver in the men’s 10m air rifle team event, another silver in the 50m rifle 3 positions team event, and bronze in the 10m air rifle individual event. His individual bronze was also a moment of redemption after narrowly missing a medal at the previous Asian Games.
Five athletes, 15 medalsTogether, these five athletes contributed 15 medals — six gold, six silver and three bronze to India’s impressive Asian Games campaign.
Their performances underline the depth of Indian sport at Aichi-Nagoya, with archery, shooting and athletics producing some of the country’s most consistent individual medal winners.
India eventually finished fourth in the overall medal table with 85 medals — 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze. Five athletes. Three medals each. One unforgettable Asian Games.
