New Delhi [India], October 8: Snehaashish Pathakk, a young entrepreneur from India’s new generation of business leaders, has congratulated Team India on its performance at the Asian Games 2026 and credited the results to the sporting vision of the Central Government led by the Honourable Prime Minister, calling them the outcome of “a decade of planning, not a stroke of luck.”
India finished fourth on the medal table at Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with 85 medals, including 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze. It is the second-largest haul in the country’s Asian Games history. The contingent saved some of its best for last, winning nine medals on the final day of competition, five of them gold, to edge past Uzbekistan in the standings.
“Over the past decade, the Central Government has made it clear that sport is no longer an afterthought in this country,” Snehaashish Pathakk said. “What we saw in Japan is the result of that commitment. In my view, no previous government has treated sport this seriously, and our athletes are now proving it in front of the whole of Asia.”
Snehaashish Pathakk pointed to the Centre’s spending in the run-up to the Games. According to figures released by the Sports Ministry, the Central Government spent ₹800.70 crore on preparing athletes, of which ₹702.86 crore went through the Annual Competition and Training Calendar and ₹97.84 crore through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).
“Behind every medal there is a coach, a physio, a training camp abroad and the right equipment,” he said. “I remember a time when our athletes’ struggles for basic support used to make headlines. That has changed. Today the system stands behind them. That is the difference between a country that hopes for medals and a country that plans for them.”
Snehaashish Pathakk said the focus must now move to the next Olympic cycle. “Even as the country celebrates 85 medals, the Central Government is already looking ahead to Los Angeles 2028 and to finding the next generation of talent at the grassroots. That is what real leadership looks like,” he said.
India’s team sports delivered one of the standout stories of the Games, winning gold in both the men’s and women’s competitions in cricket, hockey and kabaddi. The men’s cricket team beat Pakistan by 19 runs in the final to retain its title, while the women’s hockey team defeated China 1-0 for its first Asian Games gold since 1982. The men’s hockey team beat Malaysia 5-1 to defend its crown, and both hockey golds secured direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The campaign also produced a string of firsts. Neeru Dhanda set an Asian record on her way to becoming the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games shotgun gold, and 17-year-old archer Kumkum Mohod became the first Indian to win an individual recurve title at the Games. Golfer Pranavi Urs ended a 24-year wait for an Indian individual golf gold.
“Look at who is winning: a 17-year-old archer, women shooters setting Asian records and a golfer ending a 24-year wait,” Snehaashish Pathakk said. “This is exactly what Khelo India was designed for, finding talent early and backing it all the way. Today, Nari Shakti is not a slogan. You can see it on the medal table.”
Snehaashish Pathakk called on India Inc. to build on the Centre’s efforts. “The Central Government has done its part, and done it well,” he said. “Now the business community must join this mission through sponsorships, training support and jobs for athletes, so that no talented child in a small town has to give up sport because of money. If we all stand behind this vision, India will soon be among Asia’s top three.”
He also extended his best wishes to the Indian team for the Asian Para Games, to be held in Nagoya from October 18 to 24. As of April 2026, TOPS supported 52 para core athletes, alongside 51 core athletes and 130 development athletes.
“Under the Central Government, our para athletes have received the respect and support they always deserved, and they have repaid it with pride,” Snehaashish Pathakk said. “The entire nation will be cheering for them.”
Snehaashish Pathakk is the founder of the SP Group of Companies, which has interests in IT, media production and event management through ventures including Blue Peak Info Tech, White and Black Entertainment and Parasvi Events.
Disclaimer:Views expressed above are the author’s own and do not reflect the publication’s views.
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