KIPG 2025: Debutants Alphia James, Mandeep steal badminton spotlight as Paralympians dominate

NEW DELHI: India’s Paralympians and international stars played true to form, but the Khelo India Para Games 2025 also saw some standout gold medallists as the badminton competition came to a close at the Indira Gandhi Stadium on Saturday, Day 3 of the Games, as per the SAI Media press release.

By the end of the day, 88 gold medals in athletics, badminton, and shooting had been decided. Overnight leaders, Tamil Nadu led the medal tally with 19 golds, while Haryana stood second with 14 golds. Rajasthan was third with 11, while Uttar Pradesh followed with 10 medals.

In the first half of Saturday, the focus was on badminton. India’s top para-badminton players did not disappoint in their respective categories. Paris 2024 gold medallist Nitesh Kumar, Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Krishna Nagar, Paris 2024 bronze medallist Manisha Ramdass and 13-time national champion Sanjeev Kumar emerged champions.

But it was Kerala’s 21-year-old Alphia James and Uttarakhand’s Mandeep Kaur who stole the show on the badminton courts, winning gold each in their respective categories. A B. Com student, Alphia, lost her father in 2010 and has been supported by her brother and mother ever since.

Having started as a basketball player, Alphia suffered a spinal cord injury in 2017. After almost five years, she resumed her sporting journey and started playing para-badminton. She made a golden debut at Khelo India Para Games 2025 here in Delhi.

A three-time arm-wrestling national champion, Mandeep switched to badminton due to her love for the game and has enjoyed immense success in the sport. Winning gold in her first-ever international tournament in Uganda, the 29-year-old has now made a dream Khelo India Para Games debut.

“It’s a great feeling to win the gold, and I’m really thankful to SAI and the government for organising KIPG. The key was to keep cal,m and that’s what I did. I lost the first game and was trailing in the second at one stage, but I pushed myself to make a comeback and eventually win the game,” said Mandeep after her victory, as quoted by SAI Media press release.

Star attraction Nitesh Kumar said, “I’m feeling really good that I won the gold. This is the first time that I have played KIPG and to win the tournament is nice. Moreover, it’s a positive start to the season for me and I hope to do well.”

Day 3 of the Khelo India Para Games also saw the start of the archery competition at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The 2024 Paris Paralympics bronze medallist Sheetal Devi and promising newcomer Payal Nag were in action. One wonder archer without arms (Sheetal) met another without arms and legs (Payal) to make for some stunning visuals. Both qualified for the finals on Sunday.

The athletics action continued on day three, and some splendid performances were seen. The 2024 Paris Paralympics bronze medallist, Deepthi Jeevanji, India’s first para-athlete to win a medal in Paralympics in the women’s 400m T20 classification, once again proved her mettle by claiming a gold medal on Saturday. 2022 Asian Games silver medallist Monu Ghangas also showcased his talent, grabbing a gold medal in Men’s shot put F11 category.

Shooting action also began at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range. Paralympic Gold medallist Avani Lekhara continued her control in the women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 category, securing the top position. The Rajasthan shooter narrowly edged out her state teammate Mona Agarwal, who claimed silver, while Aakansha from Uttar Pradesh rounded off the podium with a score of 221.5.

This success came amid strong performances across other shooting events, with Maharashtra’s Swaroop Mahavir Unhalkar and Kavin Vinod Kengnalkar claiming gold and silver, respectively, in the men’s 10m air rifle standing SH1, separated by just 0.1 points. Meanwhile, Haryana’s Simran Sharma topped the podium in the mixed 10m air rifle standing SH2 category. (ANI)