India's campaign at the Asian Games gathered fresh momentum on Saturday as the country completed a golden double in kabaddi, with both the men's and women's teams defending their titles in Nagoya, Japan, in a day that also brought progress in badminton and more medals in shooting and athletics.
The women's kabaddi team set the tone with a tense 37-34 victory over Iran in the final, holding their nerve in a match that stayed tight deep into the contest. Hours later, the men matched that feat, overcoming the same Iranian opponents 40-34 in another closely fought final to retain their gold medal. The twin triumphs underscored India's continued dominance in a sport that has become one of the country's most reliable sources of success at the continental level.
The victories were especially significant because they came against an Iranian side that has long been among Asia's strongest challengers in kabaddi. India's ability to defend both titles in pressure-filled finals reinforced the depth and resilience of its squads, and added a major boost to the country's overall medal campaign in Nagoya.
There was more encouraging news from badminton, where veteran P.V. Sindhu and rising talent Unnati Hooda produced composed performances to reach the women's singles quarterfinals. Sindhu, one of India's most decorated athletes, was in complete control in her third-round match against Japan's Tomoka Miyazaki, winning 21-9, 21-13 in straight games. The result reflected both her experience and her ability to raise her level in major events.
Unnati, who has already won three BWF Super 100 titles, continued her impressive run with a hard-earned 21-14, 20-22, 21-19 win over Malaysia's Ling Ching Wong before producing one of the standout results of the day. The 19-year-old from Haryana then stunned world No. 6 Indonesian Putri Kusuma Wardani 21-19, 21-13 to book a quarterfinal meeting with Japan's Akane Yamaguchi. Her progress added another layer of optimism to India's women's badminton prospects, especially as she continues to emerge on the international stage.
The men's singles draw, however, brought disappointment for India. Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty were knocked out of the competition, ending hopes of a deeper run in the event. Their exits contrasted sharply with the progress made by Sindhu and Unnati and left India relying on its women's singles challenge for further badminton success.
India also added to its medal count in shooting. The women's 50m rifle 3 positions team of Tilottama Sen, Vidarsa Vinod and Ashi Chouksey claimed silver after aggregating 1763 points, finishing behind the gold medalists on the podium. Tilottama, who has been one of the young names to watch in India's shooting contingent, also placed fourth in the individual final, narrowly missing out on another medal.
In the men's shot put, Tajinderpal Singh Toor secured silver with a best effort of 20.64m, earning his third medal at the Continental showpiece. Toor, who had won gold in the last two editions of the Games, was edged out by Iran's Mohammadreza Tayebise, who set a new Games record with a throw of 20.81m and broke Toor's previous mark of 20.75m from 2018. Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Tolu took bronze with 20.48m.
India also picked up bronze in athletics through Prachi Choudhary, who finished third in the women's 400m final with a timing of 53.21 seconds. Bahrain's Salwa Naser won gold in a Games record 49.20 seconds, while Iran's Zahra Zarei Manoujan took silver in 52.38 seconds. India's other finalist, Kiran Pahal, finished fifth in 53.41 seconds.
There was heartbreak in squash as well, where Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar settled for bronze after a narrow semifinal defeat to Hong Kong's Tang Ming Hong and Lee Ka Yi in the mixed doubles event. The Indian pair lost 2-1, with the scores reading 11-10, 2-11, 11-10 in a tense three-game battle at the Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena.
India's day in Nagoya reflected both the breadth and the competitiveness of its Asian Games campaign. From kabaddi's double gold to Sindhu's steady march, Unnati's breakthrough, and medals in shooting and athletics, the country continued to feature prominently across multiple disciplines, even as a few contenders fell short. The mix of triumphs, near-misses and emerging talent suggested a delegation still very much in the hunt as the Games progressed.