22 September 2026 (Navroze Bureau) : India added four more medals on Day 2 of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, taking the country’s overall tally to six medals — four silver and two bronze. Shooting once again provided the biggest medal haul, while Suchika Tariyal created history by becoming India’s first Asian Games medallist in mixed martial arts.
Himanshu Dhillon Wins Silver
The biggest individual highlight came in the men’s 10m air rifle event, where Himanshu Dhillon secured the silver medal.
The 21-year-old delivered a strong performance in the individual final, adding to India’s medal tally on a day when the country’s shooters once again produced impressive results.
Rudrankksh Patil Takes Bronze
Former world champion Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil claimed the bronze medal in the same men’s 10m air rifle individual event.
The double podium finish meant India had two shooters among the individual medallists, underlining the country’s strong showing in the discipline at the Games.
India Also Wins Team Silver
Dhillon and Patil then combined with 18-year-old Parth Rakesh Mane to win another silver medal in the men’s 10m air rifle team event.
The Indian trio posted 1898.4 points, finishing behind China’s 1899.0. The Chinese team also set a new world record with its score.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Patil, Dhillon and Mane, praising their focus, consistency and teamwork.
Suchika Tariyal Makes Asian Games MMA History
Suchika Tariyal created a landmark moment for Indian combat sports by becoming the country’s first Asian Games medallist in mixed martial arts.
The 36-year-old secured a bronze medal in the women’s Traditional 60kg category. Her campaign ended in the semifinal against Singapore’s Hui Hoon Teo after the bout was officially declared a draw.
Under the competition rules, the tied bout was decided on body weight. Tariyal was around 700 grams heavier than her opponent and therefore did not advance to the final.
Strong Start in Women’s Hockey
India’s women’s hockey team also continued its impressive campaign, defeating Indonesia 17-1 in a Pool B match.
The defending Asian Games champions controlled the game from the start and produced another emphatic victory in their title defence.
Kabaddi Teams Begin Strongly
India’s kabaddi teams also enjoyed successful outings.
The women’s team defeated Bangladesh 42-21, while the men’s side opened its campaign with a 49-24 victory over Japan.
Badminton and Table Tennis Deliver Wins
India’s men’s badminton team defeated Bangladesh 3-0 in the team competition, with the singles players securing the required victories before the remaining doubles matches needed to be played.
In table tennis, India’s women’s team defeated Pakistan 3-0, while the men’s team also recorded a 3-0 win over Pakistan.
Wushu Produces More Positive Results
India also had encouraging results in wushu.
Roshibina Devi and Aryan progressed to the quarterfinals in their respective categories, leaving both athletes within one victory of securing medals.
Swimming Proves Difficult
Swimming was among the less successful disciplines for India on Day 2.
Two-time Olympian Srihari Nataraj finished 10th in the men’s 50m backstroke final with a time of 25.52 seconds, after qualifying for the final earlier in the day.
Several other Indian swimmers also failed to progress from their respective heats.
Gold Medal Still Eludes India
Despite adding four medals, India ended Day 2 without a gold.
The country entered the third day with six medals — four silver and two bronze. The strong performances in shooting, hockey, kabaddi, badminton, table tennis and wushu nevertheless provided a positive start to India’s campaign.
Day 2 Brings Medals and Milestones
India’s second day at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games combined strong medal-winning performances with a historic first.
Dhillon and Patil delivered individual shooting medals, the pair joined Mane for team silver, and Tariyal’s bronze created a new milestone for Indian MMA. With several team events also progressing well, India will look to convert its strong start into gold medals in the days ahead.