India Secures 4th Place as Panjab’s Tally Dips at Asian Games 2026

October

2026

India secured fourth place at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan with 85 medals. However, Panjab’s tally at the Games dipped since the record-breaking 2022 edition in Hangzhou, China, where Panjabi athletes contributed 19 medals, including eight golds. In Japan 2026, the tally was far smaller at 9 medals, though Women’s cricket under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur from Moga and Men’s hockey under the leadership of Harmanpreet Singh from Amritsar retained their medals. After the victory, on 6 Oct, Harmanpreet decided to step down as captain of the Indian team. She announced it on Instagram. Harmanpreet has captained the Indian Men’s hockey team to gold at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou and again at the 2026 Asian Games. The Indian Men’s hockey team ended on a historic note by retaining their gold with an emphatic 5-1 win over Malaysia in the final. In Gurbaxpuri, Amritsar, locals started making arrangements to welcome Baljit Kaur after the Indian Women’s Hockey Team earned a 1-0 win over China to bag the gold medal after 44 years. Member of Legislative Assembly Harmeet Singh Sandhu from Tarn Taran said the Panjab government had announced USD 103K and a job as a token of appreciation for Baljit. In Mithapur, Jalandhar district—the village that has produced several international hockey players—celebrations over the women’s triumph were no less enthusiastic than those for the men’s success. Panjab had sent a smaller contingent of 27 athletes who brought home 9 medals, primarily succeeding in team sports like hockey and cricket. In comparison, Haryana sent 80 athletes who contributed 25 medals to the national tally, with only one in a team game, dominating contact sports like wrestling and boxing. Tajinderpal Singh Toor from Mansa won silver in shot put but admitted disappointment, saying, ‘I was aiming for gold. It slipped away by just 17 cm.’ Gurindervir Singh, who missed out in the 100m semifinals, salvaged a bronze in the relay. Satnam Singh managed a bronze in rowing. In shooting, Parinaaz Dhaliwal and Bhavtegh Singh Gill added bronze medals in skeet events. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann praised the medal winners, calling them ‘an inspiration for the youth’ (earlier coverage).