New Delhi, India, October 5, 2026: Teenage archer Kumkum Mohod and wrestler Sujeet Kalkal have been recognised as the standout performers of India’s campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games which closed on Sunday, October 4.
Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha named them the inaugural recipients of the Jaspal Rana Award and Raja Randhir Singh Award, respectively.
The two awards have been instituted by the IOA to honour the best female and male athletes of the Games, and commemorate the legacy of two stalwarts of Indian sport.
Seventeen-year-old Mohod, making her Asian Games debut, won three medals, including two golds, while 23-year-old Kalkal produced one of the most dramatic comebacks of the Games to claim gold in the men’s 65kg freestyle wrestling category.
India finished fourth in the medal standings with 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze medals for a total of 85 medals.
Usha was quoted by the Times of India, saying: “It is fitting that Kumkum is the first recipient of the Jaspal Rana Award, as Jaspal too burst on to the scene as a prodigy at the 1994 Asian Games. Her composure under pressure and her ability to find her best form when her back was to the wall augurs well for India Archery.”
Mohod was at the heart of one of the biggest breakthroughs for Indian archery when, along with Ankita Bhakat and Kirti, she won the women’s recurve team gold, ending South Korea’s remarkable run of seven consecutive Asian Games titles in the event dating back to the 1998 Bangkok Games.
Mohod then followed it up with gold in the individual recurve event, ensuring that Korea’s women failed to win a recurve gold at the Asian Games for the first time in the discipline’s history.
On Kalkal, Usha said: “Wrestling is India’s sport, and Sujeet’s performance will be spoken about for years to come. The gold medal will be celebrated, but his never-say-die attitude and refusal to accept silver have earned him a special place in the heart of all Indians.”
The 23-year-old Kalkal defeated reigning Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka of Japan in the semi-final before producing a stunning comeback against Abdulmazhid Kudiev of Tajikistan, trailing 2-9 but fighting back to win the final 10-9.
