Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday praised India’s women athletes for their outstanding performances at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, describing their 38 medals as a reflection of a changing India.
PM Modi met the Indian contingent at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in New Delhi after the country secured fourth place with 85 medals, including 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze.
He reserved special appreciation for the nation’s women athletes, who won 38 medals, including 11 gold.
“These medals are not just a number. This is a picture of a new India,” PM Modi said, praising the athletes for bringing honour to the country.
The Prime Minister congratulated India’s women’s hockey team for ending a 44-year wait for Asian Games gold. Both the men’s and women’s hockey teams won gold medals in the same edition for the first time in the tournament’s history.
“Both teams have won gold medals this time. And especially our women’s hockey team. You have brought gold and completed the long wait of 44 years,” he said as the gathering cheered.
Several Indian women athletes achieved historic milestones at the Games, including Kumkum Mohod, Neeru Dhanda, Pranavi Urs and Mirabai Chanu.
Seventeen-year-old Kumkum became India’s first woman to win individual recurve archery gold at the Asian Games. She also secured team gold, with India defeating South Korea in both finals.
Neeru became India’s first individual women’s trap gold medallist at the Games. She won mixed trap gold with Kynan Chenai and women’s team silver alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer.
Pranavi became the first Indian woman to win Asian Games golf gold and helped India secure team silver.
Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu won silver in the women’s 49kg category. The achievement ended India’s 28-year wait for an Asian Games weightlifting medal and completed her medal collection across the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and World Championships.
Our Asian Games champions have made the Tricolour fly high! Their achievements show what passion, perseverance and belief can achieve. https://t.co/m3gOPecQCo
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 15, 2026
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