India climbs to sixth place as women's archery team secures historic gold

India moved into sixth place on the Asian Games medal table after clinching its 12th gold on Day 14. The women's recurve archery team – Ankita Bhakat, Kirti and Kumkum Anil Mohod – defeated South Korea in the final to claim a historic first gold for India in the event. In the same session Lovlina Borgohain secured gold in the women's 75 kg boxing, becoming only the second Indian woman boxer after Mary Kom to win an Asiad gold. Kumkum Mohod added a silver medal in the mixed team recurve event together with Dhiraj Bommadevara. Nethra Kumanan earned a bronze in the women’s dinghy sailing, taking India’s total to 70 medals. Overall India now holds 12 gold, 24 silver and 34 bronze medals, a total of 70, placing it sixth behind China, Japan, South Korea, Uzbekistan and Thailand. On Day 13 the country had added six medals – two silver and four bronze – finishing that day with 66 medals. Other Indian medalists on Day 14 included Suchika Tariyal (bronze, women’s traditional MMA 60 kg), Pincky Balhara (bronze, women’s 78 kg), Mirabai Chanu (silver, women’s weightlifting 49 kg), Jay Meena (bronze, men’s singles soft‑tennis) and the men’s badminton team (bronze) comprising Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, HS Prannoy, Kidambi Srikanth, Tharun Mannepalli, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Hariharan Amsakarunan, MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila. Roshibina Devi took silver in women’s 60 kg sanda, Satnam Singh and Salman Khan won bronze in men’s double sculls and Manush Shah with Diya Chitale earned bronze in mixed doubles.

Context

The Asian Games are a quadrennial multi‑sport competition that brings together athletes from across Asia. India’s rise to sixth place reflects its expanding strength in a wider range of sports, especially where it has historically lagged such as archery and boxing.