India joins athletes from across Asia at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
New Delhi/Nagoya: Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and Indian kabaddi star Pawan Sehrawat led the Indian contingent during the Athletes’ Parade at the Opening Ceremony of the 20th Asian Games in Japan.
The Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games officially began on September 19 and will continue until October 4, bringing together athletes from across the Asian continent. Japan is hosting the Asian Games for the third time, following the editions held in Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994.
Around 11,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions are expected to compete across 43 sports, with 469 medal events scheduled during the Games.
India has fielded a strong contingent of more than 500 athletes, competing across 36 disciplines. The Indian team enters the competition following its historic performance at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, where the country secured a record 107 medals.
The Aichi-Nagoya edition also features several emerging sports and disciplines, adding to the diversity of the continental sporting event.
The Opening Ceremony marked the beginning of nearly two weeks of competition, with Indian athletes set to compete for medals across multiple sporting disciplines.