India's campaign at the Asian Games gathered pace on Friday with a mix of breakthrough performances, record-setting precision and a few reminders of how unforgiving elite competition can be. The day belonged most emphatically to Suruchi Singh and Kamaljeet, who ended India's long wait for a shooting gold by combining for 484.6 points in the mixed team 10m air pistol final, a Games and Asian record that underlined their control from the opening series to the finish.
Suruchi, just 19, contributed 245.7 points, while Kamaljeet added 238.9 as the pair dominated the field from start to finish. Their victory was not merely a medal-winning effort but a statement performance, one that reflected both composure under pressure and the growing depth in Indian shooting. For a country that has often relied on shooting to provide early momentum at major multi-sport events, the gold carried added significance because it came after an unusually long wait in the discipline.
The success in the range was matched by a strong showing on the track, where Gulveer Singh produced one of India's most encouraging distance-running results of the Games. He won silver in the men's 10,000m, adding another medal to India's tally and reinforcing his status as one of the country's leading long-distance runners. In a demanding race that tested patience, rhythm and endurance, Gulveer's podium finish stood out as a major achievement in an event traditionally dominated by East African and East Asian runners.
India also had cause for celebration in the field events, where Baranica Elangovan wrote her name into the record books with a historic bronze in the women's pole vault. The 29-year-old shared the bronze with Kazakhstan's Polina Ivanova after both athletes cleared 4.15m and were tied on failures at 4.25m. It was a rare and memorable result for India in a technical event that demands a blend of speed, timing and nerve. Baranica's medal added another layer to an Indian athletics campaign that continues to search for consistency across disciplines.
If the day brought triumphs in shooting, athletics and field events, it also delivered a disappointment in badminton. India's men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty suffered a first-round exit, a result that came as a setback given their stature and expectations. Their early departure was one of the few low points on an otherwise encouraging day for the Indian contingent, and it served as a reminder that even established names can be vulnerable in the compressed, high-stakes environment of the Asian Games.
India's most dominant team performances, however, came in kabaddi, where both the women's and men's sides moved within touching distance of gold. The women's team stayed on course for a fourth consecutive Asian Games title after storming into the final with a commanding 48-24 win over Nepal. They led 31-17 at half-time before pulling away further, maintaining their unbeaten run and reinforcing their reputation as the standard-bearers of the sport at the continental level.
The men's team was equally authoritative, booking its place in the summit clash with a 66-28 victory over Thailand. Like the women, the defending champions remained unbeaten and produced another controlled display that left little doubt about their intent to retain the title. With both kabaddi teams advancing, India's medal prospects in the sport remain strong heading into the final stages.
The day's results painted a broader picture of an Indian contingent finding success across multiple disciplines rather than relying on a single source of medals. From the shooting range to the athletics track and the kabaddi mat, India showed both range and resilience. The challenge now will be to convert this momentum into sustained podium finishes as the competition intensifies in the days ahead.