NewDelhi : India has made a powerful start at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026, with the country’s women athletes delivering memorable performances and putting India on the medal board. On the opening day, the Indian women’s shooting team of Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar and Vidarsa K Vinod produced a strong performance in the 10m Air Rifle Team Event to secure the silver medal.

The Indian trio finished with an impressive 1898.0 points, placing second behind China, while Japan claimed the bronze. Star shooter Elavenil Valarivan was particularly impressive, scoring 633.5 points in qualification and securing her place in the individual final. Sonam Maskar also advanced to the individual final, giving India another reason to look forward to the shooting events ahead.

The celebrations grew even bigger in the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) arena, where Suchika Tariyal created history by assuring India of its first-ever Asian Games MMA medal. Competing in the women’s Traditional 60kg category, Suchika defeated Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa 2–0 in the quarterfinal and stormed into the semifinals. With her semifinal qualification, Suchika has guaranteed herself a place on the podium as MMA makes its Asian Games debut at Aichi-Nagoya 2026.

From the shooting range to the MMA arena, Indian women athletes have made their presence felt right from the beginning of the Games. The shooting silver has opened India’s medal account, while Suchika’s historic MMA run has added another medal to the country’s tally. With several events still to come, Indian athletes will now look to build on this early momentum and bring more medals home. The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games have begun, and India’s women have already given the nation plenty to celebrate.

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