India shines in Japan: Pramod Bhagat bags 3 gold, Krishna Nagar 2 gold, and Sukant Kadam 1 gold and 1 silver

Rakesh Thapliyal

New Delhi: India’s para badminton stars delivered a commanding performance at the HULIC DAIHATSU Japan Para Badminton International 2025 with Pramod Bhagat leading the charge by securing three gold medals in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Tokyo Paralympic champion Krishna Nagar followed with two golds, winning both in singles and mixed doubles, while Sukant Kadam bagged gold in men’s doubles along with a silver in singles.

Pramod Bhagat was the standout performer of the championship, sweeping all three gold medals in his category — men’s singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles. In the SL3 singles final, Bhagat staged a remarkable comeback after losing the opening set to Japan’s Daisuke Fujihara. Despite trailing 17-21 in the first and facing a 16-19 deficit in the second, Pramod showed nerves of steel to level the match and then dominated the decider with a flawless display to win 17-21, 21-19, 21-10 in an intense battle lasting 1 hour and 33 minutes. In men’s doubles, Bhagat teamed up with Sukant Kadam to defeat compatriots Jagadesh Dilli and Naveen Sivakumar in a hard-fought three-setter (21-17, 18-21, 21-16). He completed his golden hat-trick by clinching the mixed doubles SL4-SU5 title with Manisha Ramdass, overcoming fellow Indians Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murugesan 21-19, 21-19 in a close 29-minute contest.

Speaking after his triple triumph, Pramod Bhagat said, “Winning three golds here in Japan means a lot. It’s always special to perform in a country that appreciates para badminton so deeply. Each match tested me mentally and physically, and I’m proud of how I handled the pressure. This victory gives me great motivation ahead of future tournaments.”

Tokyo Paralympic gold medallist Krishna Nagar once again proved his class by winning two gold medals — in the SH6 men’s singles and SH6 mixed doubles. In the singles final, Nagar defeated USA’s Miles Krajewski in straight sets. After trailing 11-17 in the first, he mounted a spirited comeback to take the set 22-20 before comfortably closing the second 21-13. Teaming up with Nithya Sre, Krishna added another gold to his tally in mixed doubles, showcasing his signature agility and tactical brilliance on court.

Krishna Nagar shared his delight, saying, “I’m thrilled with my performance this week. Every match was competitive, and I had to dig deep, especially in the singles final. I’m happy to bring glory to India once again and will keep striving to perform even better.”

Sukant Kadam also had a strong outing, earning one gold and one silver. He claimed gold alongside Pramod Bhagat in men’s doubles (SL3-SL4) and secured silver in the SL4 singles, where he went down to fellow Indian Naveen Sivakumar in a spirited contest.

Echoing the same sentiment, Sukant Kadam said, “This tournament was a big test of consistency and teamwork. The doubles gold with Pramod was special, and the silver in singles motivates me to work harder. The Indian contingent’s overall performance shows how strong our para badminton ecosystem has become.”

India’s strong campaign also saw several other medal-winning performances. Mandeep Kaur and Neeraj won silver and bronze respectively in the women’s SL3 category. In women’s doubles SL3-SU5, Mansi Joshi and Thulasimathi Murugesan clinched gold, while Neeraj–Arati and Sanjana Kumari–Shanthiya bagged bronze. Manasi Joshi and Ruthick Raghupati secured bronze in mixed doubles (SL3-SU5). Surya Kant won bronze in men’s SL4, while Thulasimathi, Manisha Ramdass, and Shanthiya swept gold, silver, and bronze respectively in the women’s SU5 category. Hardik Makkar and Ruthick Raghupati won silver in men’s doubles SU5, and Nithya Sre capped off India’s medal tally with gold in women’s singles SH6.