Pune: Athletes from Indian Army’s Paralympic Node (APN) secured seven medals, including a historic gold by Subedar Dharmaraj Solairaj, at Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, which concluded on Saturday. Despite fielding a lean squad of only 10 athletes this time, the contingent successfully matched its previous edition’s medal tally.Solairaj (32) successfully defended his men’s long jump title in the combined T44/T62/T64 event. He set a new Asian record with a spectacular leap of 7.15 metres on Thursday. With this victory, the Tamil Nadu-born athlete, who competes in T64 classification, became the first Army para-athlete to win two gold medals at Asian Para Games.Solairaj’s achievement builds on his steady, inspiring progress since returning to the track following a life-altering injury. Recruited into the Madras Regiment in 2013, he underwent a transtibial amputation in 2018 after serving in a high-altitude area along India’s northern border. Initially fearing he would be permanently confined to a wheelchair, he found renewed purpose after interacting with fellow para-athletes at the Army’s Artificial Limb Centre (ALC).His performance has improved consistently through focused training on his run-up, jumping technique, balance, and physical conditioning. In 2025, he had set a national and continental record of 7.32 metres in the T64 category at Indian Open Para Athletics International Championship in Bengaluru.Another major highlight for the Army contingent was the bronze medal clinched by Paris Paralympics bronze medallist Hokato Sema. The 43-year-old registered a throw of 14.65 metres in the men’s F57 shot put event, demonstrating his elite competitiveness against a much younger field. “Age is a crucial factor in this competition, but Sema has once again proven the old adage that age is just a number,” an official noted.Army officials stated that the seven-medal haul is highly commendable given their reduced representation. Strict entry caps imposed by the organisers prevented the Army from fielding its core para-rowers and athletes in canoeing and kayaking. “We could have won significantly more medals had our rowers and kayakers been permitted to participate,” the official added.The contingent’s performance also brought to light the technical challenges faced by para-athletes, particularly those using running prostheses. Fine-tuning prosthetics and sockets to different competition surfaces and unpredictable weather conditions remains a critical challenge, as even microscopic variations can heavily impact balance, comfort, and final performance.Housed on the campus of Bombay Engineering Group and Centre, APN trains and supports injured soldiers looking to rebuild their lives through competitive sports. Officials noted that Solairaj’s journey—from an injury that threatened to derail his sporting ambitions to successfully defending his continental title—underscores the crucial role of sustained coaching, rehabilitation, and structural physical conditioning.PM appreciates Solairaj’s achievementPrime Minister Narendra Modi took to his official X platform to praise the long jumper’s landmark victory, writing: “Solairaj Dharmaraj has delivered an exceptional performance in the men’s long jump T44/T62/T64 event at Asian Para Games 2026, winning gold with a phenomenal jump. By surpassing his own Asian record, he has once again demonstrated his tremendous skills and determination. Congratulations to Solairaj on this outstanding triumph. May he continue to achieve greater heights.”Medal winners:Long Jump (Final): Solairaj Dharmaraj: GoldDiscus throw : Rakesh Kundu : Silver100mtr freestyle: Kapil kumar : SilverShot put: Hokato Sema: BronzeDiscus throw: Pradeep Kumar: BronzeT64 400mt: Ajay Kumar: Bronze100mtr breast stroke: Rohit kumar (Indian Navy) : Bronze
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